Vengeance
by Blue Kitteh
Summary: The League has been destroyed by Noxus, with Valoran under its control. Piltover is the last free place on the continent, but under siege from all sides. In the bleakest of times, how can Jayce overcome turmoil to save everything he holds dear? Disclaimer: All characters owned by Riot Games.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

How long had he been here? It didn't matter anymore. The only thing he felt was a dull sensation of aching pain that dominated every facet of his life. A small groan emanated from the man as he shifted ever so slightly, the rattle of chains following his movement. His blue eyes opened into a narrow glare as he glanced up at the sound of a familiar, yet hated, voice coming from outside his cell.

"Well Jayce," Viktor rumbled, his voice as mechanical as his body, "I think you'll be happy to hear that I'm a forgiving man. My offer still stands. You may want to think about it."

"I'll never join you, you bastard," Jayce retorted, desperately trying to keep some strength in his voice. "You just made a deal with Noxus the moment they took over the League, you scavenging vulture. You wouldn't be able to survive without someone holding your leash and feeding you!"

"Ah, but I am surviving," the mechanized man chuckled, unperturbed by his Piltover captive's outburst. "And you can, too. Join me, and we can make the Glorious Evolution a true reality. This time, however, it's not just about a crystal. It's about your life."

"I'd rather die than make others succumb to your twisted ideals," Jayce spat back.

Viktor sighed dramatically, as if he cared. "You know, I was ordered to eliminate you if you weren't useful. And by the way, my plans will come into fruition whether you like it or not. It just depended on how long it would take to implement. Yours is a very unique mind. Such a waste."

The captive man shook his head at the madness of Viktor's goals. "Fine, I don't care if I die. I've left Piltover with the best defenses against Noxus, and you will never know where the Mercury Hammer is."

"Ah yes, yes. Piltover, the last hope against the evil empire of Noxus." Viktor chuckled. "Have no fear, those pathetic rebels will fall soon enough. And as for your hammer, I could hardly give less of a thought to that thing. I can construct much more fearsome weapons than a transforming hammer. Oh, and your execution is scheduled for tomorrow at nine in the morning. Get some rest... if you can."

Laughing, the augmented scientist turned away from the bars and headed out into his laboratory, undoubtedly creating more horrors to leash upon the people and refugees of Piltover.

* * *

_"Jayce, you can't go alone!" Caitlyn shouted, guards holding the sheriff back. Vi pushed her partner further from intervention with one gauntleted hand, her eyes also filled with agonized indecision. _

_"I'll buy time for you all to escape," Jayce yelled, firmly grasping his hammer in his hands. "You have to protect everyone!" Turning around before Caitlyn's tears and cries would make him go back, he faced the horde of incoming Noxian soldiers, knowing full well that his death could be upon him._

_"Cait, come on," Vi hissed into the distraught woman's ears. "He's not doing this to have you die alongside him. You're putting everyone in jeopardy!" Caitlyn glanced around at the terrified stragglers they'd found. Finally, she took a deep breath and nodded shakily, shrugging off the restraining hands of the guards. "Let's get to Piltover quickly," Vi's tone became gentler as Caitlyn regained her sense of duty._

_The sheriff took one last glance at Piltover's defender, standing alone among the oncoming onslaught of enemies. "I love you," she whispered before turning away, one last tear hitting the ground before they departed._

* * *

Jayce awoke, not to guards coming into his cell to prep him for his death, but to the pining of his stomach, whining in earnest for some sort of nourishment. "Damn this..." Jayce muttered under his breath, his arms quite sore from hanging from the ceiling for so long. The encumbered captive wriggled around for about half a second before pain overrode his senses once more.

"Oh for Nashor's sake," Jayce groaned. What in Vilemaw's name was wrong with him? He took a few moments to examine himself as best he could. Jayce tilted his head up, peering at his arms. His wrists, of course, were bound tightly together and chained to the ceiling. The sleeves of his jacket had been mostly torn apart, and his skin was dotted with bruises and cuts. Looking down, his once-handsome overcoat had practically been shredded to rags, and the only thing intact about his attire was the shirt he wore underneath. A rather nasty cut made its way from Jayce's top left thigh diagonally downward, stopping right before his knee. A thin trickle of blood still ran from the mostly clotted wound, running down his leg and soaking through his baggy black pants.

"Well... that explains it," Jayce sighed, quite sure that there were more invisible bruises beneath what remained of his clothes. Suddenly, a bang emanated from where the door was, and he looked up to see Viktor stomping towards him.

Before Jayce could inquire of his captor's glare, Viktor snarled, "You're lucky, Jayce. Noxus believes that you could be a bargaining chip in crushing these worthless rebels."

Jayce was silent for a moment, before replying, "Wait, yesterday you said you had orders to eliminate me."

Viktor brushed the inquiry away with a wave of his hand. "It was merely a ruse to see if you would change your mind," he said dismissively. "You're to be transported to the Noxian High Command in ten minutes. Just remember, Jayce," the scientist hissed. "You may regret not joining me when you face what horrors they have there."

He stepped forward and unlocked the cell as two guards came in. They were equipped with stun guns and a variety of people-catching objects, the least imposing of them a net-shooter.

"Get off, I can walk on my own," Jayce snapped as the guards finally undid the bindings from his wrists and lowered his body to the ground. As his arms swung down, the inventor winced at the soreness in his shoulders. They were most likely pulled or strained from holding his body up for so long, but nothing that would totally impede him. The guards glanced at Viktor, who was right in front of them.

"Oh yes, let him walk, but any funny moves and a laser may just split your legs from your body," Viktor answered their looks, though his gaze was directed at Jayce.

"I'm not so idiotic as to waste my life," he answered quietly, allowing himself to be led from the Zaunite's laboratory and into the street. He coughed as smoke and haze surrounded him almost immediately, eyes watering at the pollution of unchecked magic and techmaturgy. "Nashor eat me," Jayce complained. "Don't you Zaunites know what the environment is?"

"Nothing gets in the way of scientific advancement," Viktor replied coldly. "Put him in there and make sure there's no funny business. If anything happens during the transfer, I'll make sure you are the ones I experiment on next. Am I clear?"

The guards looked at each other, then back at Viktor, and nodded hurriedly. Jayce scowled at what he'd be put in; a rather small, floating cage with force fields for walls, virtually unbreakable and only accessible with the switch. Viktor caught the prisoner's apprehensive glance, and would've smiled if he could. "That one's a bit special," he said mysteriously, but refused to explain a little more.

"Oh, so here we have the mighty Jayce," an unexpected voice came from behind the portable prison.

"D-Diana?" Jayce replied, taken aback by the Scorn's presence. "Don't tell me you're working for them."

"Nothing personal sweetheart," she sneered, walking around the prison to make her appearance. "They just have a better grasp of my power than those wretched Solari ever did."

"And what did they promise you, Leona's head?" Jayce growled back. "I hope revenge is worth selling your soul and morality to the worst bunch of wraiths you'll ever find in Runeterra."

Diana laughed derisively, her cold, dark blue eyes fixed on Jayce's. "I wouldn't expect you to understand," she answered with a devious grin. "Let's get you on your way, shall we?"

"Do make sure he arrives... in mostly pristine condition," Viktor told Diana. "Wouldn't want both our heads to be on the line."

"Oh, there won't be any problems there," Diana glanced at their prisoner, who had been shoved unceremoniously into the cage and was now burning holes into the Noxian collaborators with his eyes. "That's why I'm here." She turned to the guards, who had assumed positions behind the prison, and took one more look at the haughty Jayce.

"Don't look so worried," she laughed. "This is going to be fun."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

As the small party left for Noxus, Jayce flipped himself so he was facing backwards, staring straight at the guards. Or so they thought. It was rather unnerving to those two, to have his longing eyes facing right at them - wait, longing? One of them glanced behind him bemusedly, and then realized, oh. Piltover was right across from Zaun, with a small inlet breaking the two cities. Not that he could actually see Piltover from where they were, but that didn't stop Jayce from looking.

In fact, as the day drew nearer to noon and they had escaped the smog of the city into a rather open plain, Jayce's spirits had sunk with the realization that he was further and further from both his hometown and any hope of rescue. Not that he didn't know what he'd signed up for; when he took on the small Noxian group (a small squad of foot soldiers and a captain), he was fully prepared to fight til the end if it meant protecting Caitlyn and Piltover. What he wasn't prepared for, however, was the appearance of Katarina at the scene.

As Jayce struck down the last of the soldiers, having taken care of the captain first, she appeared in a storm of daggers, each one flying straight for vital points. Gritting his teeth, Jayce knocked away the ones from his heart and neck while dodging to the left. Unable to avoid all the blades, his arms were cut up quickly, his overcoat torn to shreds. Katarina smirked, rather unnecessarily.

"Ms. Katarina, what a nice surprise," Jayce said sardonically, his chest heaving up and down as blood ran from his arms and dripped steadily onto the grass. "Come to do what your little minions couldn't?"

"I didn't expect them to be able to deal with you in the first place," she replied haughtily. "You, however, weren't able to kill off our captain before he said your name. And that's why I'm here," she added, her expression changing into a wicked smile.

"While I'm quite honored by your presence," Jayce answered sarcastically, "You wouldn't be leading a small, unknown squad of mediocre soldiers. Which means..." He trailed off as his eyes widened.

"Noxus may or may not be closer to Piltover than you think," Kat laughed, a gleeful smirk playing on her lips. "But that doesn't matter now. Now, you're dead."

With that said, the Noxian assassin disappeared with a flash of light, appearing right behind the wounded Jayce. Expecting this, Jayce turned and leaped, bringing his hammer down as Kat slashed her knife down his left thigh. He caught her square on the shoulder (he heard a crack) as pain flared up his leg, and she staggered back as he fell after the blow. "Dammit," Jayce spat, one hand fumbling with the wound, the other reaching into his ripped overcoat. He knew enough that he wouldn't be able to stand, or that he'd at least be very wobbly, something that was synonymous to suicide when fighting against Katarina.

Katarina. He looked up, and there she was, a furious glare in her blue-green eyes. Her right hand was clutching both her left shoulder and a knife as she headed towards the bleeding man. There wasn't much time. Taking the device out from his coat, he attached it to the Mercury Hammer, and with a soft, bright glow, his beloved weapon disappeared. "Given up already?" Kat snarled as she reached Jayce, pointing the blade at his throat.

"I don't have much of a choice," Jayce shrugged, indicating his battered body.

"Weak," the Noxian answered disdainfully. Pain coursed through her shoulder, running down her arm and neck, even down her back. Newfound fury enveloped the assassin, and she elbowed Jayce right in the side of his head, not holding back.

He grunted as his vision blurred and he fell sideways, but before he blacked out, he swore he could've heard a familiar voice crying, "Jayce!"

"Jayce!" Diana snarled, bringing him back to the present.

"What?" he blinked. "Did you say something other than complete Poro shit for once?"

The lunar woman scowled, her shadowed eyes narrowing into slits. "Fine, no lunch for you then," she said, dropping the bowl of soup she had onto the ground.

"It probably tasted like crap anyway," Jayce muttered under his breath. His stomach berated him with a loud growl, bringing a slight pinkish tint to his cheeks. This failed to escape Diana's notice, and she smiled to herself as she and the guards ravenously downed their lunch.

After the bowls had been washed in a nearby creek and stowed away in one of the packs, Diana addressed the two guards. "We'll reach the Ironspike Mountains in about three days. Until then, we'll need to keep an eye out for any potential rescue attempts. Not that they'd succeed," she added. "This area is mostly just the trade routes between Zaun and Noxus, which means it'll be easy for someone to disguise themselves as a merchant. Don't talk to anyone other than us, and make sure that our prisoner isn't able to get any outside interactions."

"Well, what if I need to pee?" Jayce interjected, drawing a pained glance from each of the guards.

"I'll throw in a bucket," Diana shot back. "Anyway, I'll turn on the soundproof force walls for the cage so no one will be able to hear him. We should be safe once we reach the mountain pass." The two guards nodded in unison, and walked back over to Jayce.

"Hey you two, listen," Jayce started chatting up the guards. "I think-" Abruptly, his voice was cut off, and one of the guards looked at Diana, who was holding the controller. She shook her head at them, and walked back in front. "Let's go," she ordered.

They continued on as before, but Diana once again stopped the group after a short while. "I think we should disguise our... cargo," she said carefully. "Throw a blanket over him and it'll look like we're carrying an animal. Which he pretty much is," she added in under her breath.

The guards nodded, and one of them took a cloth out of his pack, draping it over Jayce's cage so that he could only see out of a small sliver of it by hunching down and pressing his cheek against the floor. "This is completely unfair," he complained from inside the cage, though no one could hear. Diana nodded in satisfaction, and they once again moved on.

Two days passed without event, and the mountains loomed up ahead, the pass just within sight. "After the pass, we should reach the rendezvous in another three," Diana informed the guards. Jayce's heart sunk, and he sighed. He could only prepare himself for the inevitable.

Suddenly, one of his guards lurched forward as if pushed. Jayce crouched down, just in time to see the guard fall to ground, a pool of blood forming around his head. Boom, headshot? That could only be...

Diana gritted her teeth, drawing her crescent blade just in time to deflect a bullet aimed straight for her heart. She looked at where the bullet came from, and saw Caitlyn taking aim once again. Diana leapt into action, rushing straight for the sniper. She zigzagged through Caitlyn's barrage of bullets, until she was close enough to send a burst of lunar energy from her blade straight at the sheriff. Caitlyn took careful aim and shot a net at Diana, sending the Piltover woman flying back. Diana quickly cut through the net, but before she could run to face her adversary, she heard a scream from near the cage.

Looking back, she saw the other guard fall as Ezreal's bow retracted back into his gauntlet. He also raised his head to look at her, but then pulled the cloth off the cage, revealing the bloody Jayce. His mouth dropped the slightest bit before he said, "We'll get you out of here, I promise."

Jayce nodded, drawing a finger over his lips to signal he wouldn't bother talking. Ezreal took it differently, swinging around, his bow drawn so quickly that it sparked with mystical energy. Ezreal charged up his attack for a few seconds, before letting loose with a huge barrage of energy, aimed straight for Diana. "Hmph," she snorted. "I think it's about time they find out the special properties of that cage." She stood still, much to Caitlyn and Ezreal's bemusement, as the attack passed straight through her.

The explorer caught a glimpse of movement through his peripheral vision, and he turned to see Jayce writhing in pain, electricity surging from the walls and into his body.

"Stop!" Caitlyn yelled at Diana, fury written all over her features. Diana, no worse for wear, laughed. "That's right honeybuns," she hissed. "You try to kill me, and he dies instead. So what now?"

Ezreal started up towards the two women. "Noxians... I hate you guys," he snarled.

"I wouldn't bother fighting," Diana laughed. "I can just knock you all out and take three prizes instead of one. Any blow you make will just harm your friend more."

The two Piltover friends glanced at each other, knowing she spoke the truth. "Retreat for now, Caitlyn," Ezreal urged her. "We _will_ rescue him." Caitlyn's eyes watered at the prospect of leaving Jayce behind for a second time. "We can't win this," he prodded. Finally, Caitlyn nodded, and the two of them turned back towards Piltover.

"I swear, once this is all over..." Caitlyn glared at Diana. "You'll be the first one I kill."

Diana chuckled, brushing off her threat. "You can try, sweetheart. You can try."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Here he is, mostly safe and sound," Diana commented as she handed the cage controller over to Darius. Jayce glared out from his prison; the trip coming out from the pass hadn't been particularly pleasant, having only Diana for company.

"Any trouble?" the Noxian commander grunted, eyeing Jayce's wounds.

"Those are old," Diana said dismissively. "And just a failed rescue attempt, is all."

"I'm assuming you left a few bodies behind," Darius rose an eyebrow, turning back to face the Scorn.

"Oh, I expected that you'd want some fun while capturing Piltover," Diana examined her nails. She couldn't make a show of weakness in front of the top Noxian fighter. Darius growled, and shoved an arm across Diana's throat, pushing her against the cage. Jayce smirked, hoping that Darius would slice her head off in front of him.

"Now listen," Darius snarled. "By not having captured Piltover yet, there may be some dredges of hope festering in places like Demacia and Bandle City. You have not done us a favor. The next time you slip up, there won't just be a talking to. Understood?"

Diana swallowed her pride (it would've been hard to swallow anything physical at that moment) and nodded.

"Good." He let her go, and she heaved in a few deep breaths, glaring heavily at Jayce, as if he was the one who'd set that embarrassment upon her.

"I'll be taking my leave, then," Diana replied with her head raised. Darius nodded without answering. As she packed her provisions, she slipped off a peculiar device from her wrist - almost like a watch, but instead of the clock, it had a shining blue gem. "Useless thing," she muttered, and stomped on it with her foot.

Some residual electricity sparked from the cage, but not nearly as much as when Ezreal had attacked. So that was what made it work.

Jayce, still unable to be heard from outside, decided to watch instead. He'd been taken to a Noxian camp outside of the city itself. Tents stretched all around him, with Noxian soldiers gathering equipment and practicing drills. _New recruits,_ he guessed, _to take over Piltover._ Darius himself, leaning on his gigantic axe, was speaking with a commander.

"...And if it's not down within a week, someone's going to have to answer for that," Darius was saying with a dark look at the commander. The person he was addressing gulped and nodded quickly. "Be off, then."

"And as for you..." Darius faced Jayce. "We have a meeting with the High Command." He snapped his fingers, and a group of soldiers escorted the two former champions out of the camp, across the gurgling moat, and into the heart of Noxus.

* * *

"Leave us," Darius ordered the guards. They dipped their heads and left the room. Jayce squinted around in the relative darkness; he could make out the circular shape of the room. In front, the outlines of high desks appeared, as if in a courtroom. Jayce's cage hovered into the center as Darius climbed invisible steps and took his place at the High Command Table. Abruptly, the cage fizzed and disappeared, leaving the Piltover man to fall square on his butt onto the hard, concrete floor. Lights popped out from behind the highest table, illuminating the figure of none other than Jericho Swain.

"Drama queens," Jayce grumbled, out of breath as he struggled to shift his legs into a sitting position. Not having eaten for the past day (Diana took everything for herself when they were running short), Jayce's body had grown weak from both the malnourishment and his injuries. In fact, his vision was mostly blurred, his throat burning, and he swayed slightly as he barely kept himself upright in front of the most powerful 'government' on the continent.

"Jayce," Swain started. "You know why you're alive. Though we could easily conquer Piltover without you, it would be a waste to destroy the technological marvels within. I expect that you're a reasonable man."

Throughout the spiel, all Jayce heard was _you're... to destroy... a reasonable man._ "N-Never..." he groaned.

Swain stopped, taking a closer look at the prisoner. "Get a doctor," he snapped, just as Jayce toppled over, sweat pouring from his forehead.

* * *

_The night before Diana handed Jayce over to the Noxians, she briefly turned off the soundproof factor on the cage._

_"Listen, Jayce," Diana leaned against the prison nonchalantly, as if talking with an old friend. "Before you interrupt me, I have a proposition for you. Ah, let me finish," she added. Jayce closed his mouth. "The Noxians have always been known to be selfish, power-hungry bastards. They do realize my strength more than anyone else, but in the end, it's always just for them. They hired me, but I'm not aligned with them. Now, I know some information that could save Piltover. But if you choose to use this, and Piltover is saved, then you have to work with me as a mercenary for five years."_

_Jayce was stunned. Diana had no real allegiance to Noxus? That was new. "I..." he stuttered._

_"Don't worry about it now," she smiled, and it was almost genuine. "But if you want my help, I'm going to be stationed outside Piltover for the... bargain."_

_"What bargain?" Jayce asked stupidly. "Oh, never mind."_

_He took a deep breath, and heaved it out in a long sigh. "If I accept this deal now," he said carefully, "Will you let me go?"_

_Diana laughed derisively. "You think I'd risk Noxus' fury? No, I'm still delivering you. It's something called subterfuge. They can't know it was me."_

_"And if I tell them?" Jayce said quietly. "I don't even know if you're telling the truth."_

_"Oh, just watch," Diana answered. What she showed him was nothing short of repulsive. _

_"Th-That's-" Jayce stuttered._

_"Yes, Jayce. Choose wisely."_

* * *

Piltover's hero awoke with a gasp, eyes wide open and staring. He tried to bring his hand up to his face, but a _clang_ met his ears instead. Looking to each side, he realized that his wrists were handcuffed to the sides of the hospital bed he was laying in. So were his ankles. He glanced around bewilderedly, expecting the pristine white of Piltover Medical Center. Instead, he was met by a drab grey around him, the only difference in the walls the bars that signaled he was in the Noxus Prison Center for the Ill.

Peering out the bars, Jayce realized that he was one cell in a corridor of them; across from him lay a wounded rebel soldier, a stump of an arm bandaged up. Without warning, a loud beep resounded through the hall, and a huge metal door slid open, revealing...

"Akali?" Jayce whispered. Shortly before the Noxian Invasion, Akali had given up her life as a ninja to study medicine. The former member of the Kinkou Order paid no attention to Jayce's inquiry. She opened his cell and silently examined him, pulling off thin bedcovers to inspect his wrapped up leg.

"Wh-What happened?" Jayce continued pestering the mute nurse, who was now taking notes on a clipboard. "Why are you here?"

Akali looked at him only once - when she left the cell, her dark, grey-blue eyes watering with inconceivable regret.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's note: **There is character death in this chapter. Be forewarned.

* * *

Chapter 4

During the time that Jayce spent in the prison hospital, recovering from his infection, he met Rumble. The fiery little yordle had been picked up as he stormed the front lines of the Noxian army, screaming something about not picking on the weak and who knows what else. Unfortunately for him, his machine, Tristy, had short-circuited and blown up, sending the inventor straight up into the air. Rumble had fallen straight on his face when he landed, effectively knocking him out along with a few of his teeth. Indeed, Rumble's face was swollen and blotchy beneath his wrappings, though that didn't extinguish his spirit.

Jayce hadn't exactly seen Rumble until the yordle had been brought out from his cell for discharge to the regular prison, but before then, they communicated by talking through the walls. During their chats (which went unheard because, for whatever reason, there were no guards in the corridor), Jayce learned that Rumble had made a plan for escape; he had not been strapped down to his bed like Jayce. Rumble spent most of his days wandering around his cell, inspecting the structure of the prison and making plans. In Jayce's mind, Rumble was completely insane and could not possibly hope to break out by himself. How would he even get out of Noxus, Jayce reminded him, if he got out of the prison?

"I'll think of something," Rumble answered smugly. The yordle's confidence, while refreshing, was also slightly cringe-worthy. "I've been working on something, something they can't take away."

"And what is that, exactly?" Jayce asked apprehensively. Rumble wasn't exactly known for sophisticated machinery.

"The bed," he answered simply.

"And how is this bed supposed to do anything different?" Jayce inquired.

"You'll see when the time comes," Rumble said mysteriously.

"Oh, I've got a bad feeling about this," Jayce mumbled.

A few days later was when 'the time came'. During his discharge, two guards came to drag the yordle from his cell. As the party almost reached the door, a loud clanging came from inside his cell.

"What the-" one of the guards rushed in, only to be thrown out immediately, slightly singed.

Rumble took that opportunity to elbow his other guard in the stomach, and then in the head, knocking him out cold. He reached down and took the key chain from his belt, then glared at the other guard, who was lying on the floor, stunned.

"You tell anyone, I'll get my Tristy 2 to destroy you," he threatened. The guard nodded, horror the only expression on his face.

"Rumble, you..." Jayce stammered.

The yordle smirked. "It's pretty easy to create a spark," he answered. "And to ignite it." He walked over to Jayce's door and opened it after about ten tries. "So many keys," he grumbled. Rumble headed over to Jayce's bed.

"Look, you'll never get out of here if you stop for me," Jayce told him as he started fiddling with the handcuffs. "You should just-" A _click_ came from his right wrist. "That was fast..."

"These are cheap things," Rumble said dismissively. He made short work of the other cuffs, and Jayce sat up for the first time in two weeks.

"Well then," Jayce struggled to clamber out of the bed. He wore only a raggedy shirt and pair of pants, his normal attire having been removed when he'd 'checked in'. "Ugh," he groaned, his legs wobbly after such a long period of disuse. He braced himself on the bed, but staggered forward, falling on the floor.

"Like I said, just leave me," Jayce urged the yordle. They both knew that Jayce was way too big to carry.

"Look, I'll bust the wall, and you find somewhere to hide," Rumble answered. In the distance, yelling started to erupt from the hallway beyond the door. "There's no time to debate about this," he snapped. The mechanic rushed into the other cell to work Tristy 2. Though a rough machine, it was equipped with a flamethrower made from a hollow tube with a few wires torn from the inside of the bed as the ignition point. It was able to move by reworking the internal wire system to cause the wheels to spin. For a lesser pilot, it would've been impossible to figure out, but Rumble was used to improvising.

The seat was the mattress itself; it looked like Rumble was riding a giant bed with strange tools jutting out of it. He turned Tristy 2 to face the wall, and let the flamethrower rip.

"I don't think you can burn through stone..." Jayce remarked. He'd pulled himself to the outside of Rumble's cell, lying with his back against the bars. His head was turned to watch what was happening inside.

"It's not stone," Rumble said didactically. "It's actually a rather brittle mineral found on the outskirts of Icathia. And it's especially prone to heat." With that said, Rumble turned off the flamethrower and practically drove Tristy 2 into the wall. Sure enough, the entire thing crumbled. "Jayce," Rumble turned back in the seat to look at the inventor. "I'm heading for Piltover. Once I get there, I-"

"Get them!" Darius shouted as the door slid open.

"Go Rumble!" Jayce yelled. Rumble nodded sadly, and fled off into the night.

Darius watched as Rumble's silhouette faded into the darkness. He then stomped towards Jayce. He picked him up by the neck; his grip was barely loosened enough to allow Jayce to breathe.

"What did you know of this?" Darius roared, spittle flying onto Jayce's face.

"I-I didn't..." Jayce choked. "He just... found the key to mine first..."

Darius threw him down in disgust, and Jayce put a hand to his throat, coughing and trying to regain his breath. "Take him to High Command," the commander ordered the company of soldiers he'd taken with him.

They nodded in assent and roughly pulled Jayce up by his arms. Two of them wrapped their one of their arms around one of Jayce's, dragging him in between them. They took him back to the same room he'd been put in when he first arrived in Noxus.

This time, the lights were all on, and Jayce could clearly make out not only Swain, but also Talon, Draven, Sion, and Singed. "What a royal welcome," Jayce laughed with a cough.

Swain glared down at him. "Tomorrow, you will be transported with our main forces to the marshes outside of Piltover. As you know, further bloodshed would only be detrimental to both Noxus and Piltover. If you would be able to convince the Piltover resistance to give up quietly, there needn't be any needless slaughter."

"It's like asking the dragon to kill itself," Jayce chuckled. "Did you really think I'd cooperate with you?"

Swain glanced to each side of him. "Very well," he said, his tone changing. "I expected this response, so allow me to give you a demonstration of what will happen to your 'friends' if you don't convince them to lay down their arms."

The tyrant raised a hand, and the same door that Jayce had been brought through opened, revealing Darius, who was dragging a barely conscious, very beaten up Vi.

"W-Wait, how-?" Jayce struggled to take in the scene before him.

Vi's normally smug grin was replaced by a grimace of pain, her armor shattered in some places. The gauntlets that she was so proud of were cracked and falling apart, and blood trickled down from the side of her mouth. Her eyes cracked open, and it took her a minute to focus on Jayce. "Jayce..." she rasped. "Don't... listen..."

Darius looked up at Swain, who nodded. "Don't let... Piltover fall..." Vi gasped, before Darius dropped her onto the floor, then raised his axe.

"STOP!" Jayce cried, attempting to rush over to Vi. Darius chuckled maliciously before he brought his weapon down, and tears spilled from Jayce's wide blue eyes. He stood still, body shaking, as Darius smirked at the effect. Draven leaned over his table, examining the bloody mess, and said, "Darius, I know you tried, but that could've used waaay more flare."

Jayce wiped his tears with his arm, then turned and faced Swain. "You know what, you bastard? The people of Piltover would rather die than be under your rule. So you can take your little proposition and shove it up your beak."

"You dare oppose Noxus?" Swain glanced down at the distraught man, his gaze offering nothing but coldness.

"Feel free to give up now," Jayce retorted, still shaking. "You won't get anything from me."

"Then I suppose we'll have to do this the hard way," Swain said.

Before he could continue, however, a huge bang emanated from the side, and a huge hole appeared where the wall once was.

"Did I miss anything?" Rumble smirked.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's note: **There is more character death in this chapter! Also, I'd like to thank everyone who's read this far; it means a lot to me that you've taken an interest in the story. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 5

"Did you guys know you have a really bad security system?" Rumble said conversationally. "I mean, there's an entire group of rebels within Noxus and you don't even know that they're here."

Rumble then caught sight of Vi's body. "What the-" He turned Tristy 2's flamethrower towards the Noxians, his expression now one of utter rage. "You'll pay for this, for all of this," he said, his voice saturated with venom.

Swain and the others stood up from their positions, and Darius readied his axe, the entire High Command ready to strike.

At the same time, a group of champions burst through the hole, also prepared to fight. Ashe appeared with her bow drawn, aiming straight for Swain's head. The only Demacian survivor, Vayne, crouched with her crossbow at the ready. Teemo jumped in as well, blowgun loaded with darts.

"I'll think you'll need this," said the last voice Jayce wanted to hear. He turned his head, and there she was. Caitlyn gave the same device that Jayce had put onto his Hammer back to its proper owner.

"Caitlyn... why did you come?" Jayce asked, taking his weapon back gingerly, as if it would shatter right then. He pressed on the ornate red button, and his hammer appeared in the same burst of light.

"You wouldn't be able to keep me away," she answered, raising her gun.

Jayce shifted into cannon stance, glaring up at the Noxians. "This is what the future looks like," he declared.

Swain stared down at the small group. "Only in your dreams," he retorted, before morphing into his horrific raven form.

That was when all hell broke loose.

Swain jumped down from his table, wings spread, his beak opened in a terrible cry of fury. From within the folds of his feathers, smaller ravens flew at the small rescue group. Teemo raced to match them; his darts felled nearly all of the small birds as he raced towards the tyrant.

Darius lunged forward and grabbed Jayce by the waist with his axe, pulling him into the commander. "I don't swing like that," Jayce grunted as he ducked Darius' swing. Quickly transforming his cannon back to hammer, he shoved Darius away, earning a poisonous glare and a growl of frustration. The two clashed once more, hammer versus axe.

Talon leaped down from his place as well, quickly drawing blades from under his sleeves and belt. Vayne tumbled over and began her assault, silver bolts flying in all directions. "Easy," Talon said, vanishing and reappearing straight behind the night hunter. "Tch," Vayne retorted, tumbling away and drawing the huge crossbow from her back, forcing the assassin back. "This is nothing." Vayne put a hand to her neck, and withdrew it to see red. Talon smirked, then prepared more blades as the two engaged once more in their whirlwind of bolts and knives.

Draven headed down the stairs casually, whistling as he whirled his axes, seemingly oblivious to the turmoil around him. He was suddenly met with an arrow pointed straight at his head, courtesy of Ashe. "Oh, someone wants to see Draven in action," the executioner grinned. He threw an axe at the Freljord princess' legs, causing her to awkwardly jump over it while whiffing her shot. Draven laughed gleefully as he retrieved his axe, nonchalantly turning to face the frustrated archer. "I only need one shot," she retorted in response to his smug smile. "You'll die soon enough, Draven." He shook his head with a laugh. "Not Draven, Draaaaven."

Sion lumbered down to the battlefield, glistening green axe at the ready. Caitlyn picked up on the undead warrior's advance, and aimed a penetrating shot at him, but it simply scraped his armor. Sion's glowing red eyes turned towards the sheriff, and he raised his axe, his gormless face splitting into a bloodthirsty smile. Caitlyn made the mistake of looking into his eyes, and for a moment, she was completely paralyzed as Sion glowed with an unearthly red glimmer. Once released of the spell, Caitlyn panicked, shooting bullets haphazardly at the looming figure. The strange radiance seemed to absorb all the damage, and Sion strode ever closer to the terrified sniper.

Singed silently stood and took the flask from his back, drinking deeply from it. His eyes glowed yellow as he felt the Insanity Potion course throughout his veins, granting him strength. Rumble noticed the insane chemist join the fray, and moved Tristy 2 in front of him, flamethrower at the ready. "You're not going to poison the entire place," Rumble declared. Singed stopped, sizing the bed machine up. "Not yet," he answered. "We'll start with you." The potion creator stepped forward, and to Rumble's disbelief, picked Tristy 2 up and flung both yordle and machine over his head. "Dammit," Rumble cursed, leaping out of his invention.

Teemo had faced many adversaries, but Swain was like nothing he'd encountered before. The imposing raven form would bombard him with smaller birds, and yet every blow that Teemo landed on Swain himself seemed to have no effect; it was like he healed it all up. The yordle was tiring quickly, unable to keep dodging the storm of ravens despite his small size. Swain noticed, and a strange glyph appeared on the floor. "Ah-" Teemo squeaked, before claws ensnared him, trapping him before the terrifying figure of the Noxian leader. Swain glared at the yordle with all six of his eyes, then sent Beatrice at the trapped Teemo. The raven cawed with pleasure as it landed on him and began pecking, drawing agonized screams from the dying yordle.

Both Jayce and Darius were reaching their limits; their faces were drenched in sweat, teeth gritted in an attempt to display a visage of perseverance. Darius, however, had not suffered weeks of imprisonment and illness. He forced Jayce down onto one knee, continually slamming his axe while Jayce unwillingly took blow after blow. Each swing brought the weapon closer to his body, and he knew it wouldn't be long before his defense caved. "Having trouble?" Darius laughed breathlessly as he reached his axe straight over his head, preparing for the final blow. "None at all," Jayce grunted, taking advantage of Darius' exposed position. He forced his weight onto his knee and pushed up, unbalancing the warrior and causing him to stumble backward. Darius tripped over Vi's body, hitting his head on the concrete floor. Jayce clambered up and raised his hammer, ready to take revenge for his friend's murder, but a scream made him raise his head and abandon his retribution.

Talon staggered back at the force of Vayne's consecutive blows. The hunter herself diligently focused only on the battle, ignoring the strain in her muscles. _Only one chance,_ Talon thought to himself, knowing that if it continued much longer, he would fall. He threw blades out in all directions, each attached to a string. Talon himself faded into the shadows, leaving Vayne alone to wonder where her quarry went. Suddenly, Talon appeared right behind her and drew the strings in, each blade headed straight for her throat. Vayne thought quickly - she withdrew the bolt from her crossbow and stabbed Talon right in the throat, his grip loosening as he sputtered blood. The blades dropped in front of Vayne as Talon fell sideways, body twitching for a few seconds before it was finally still.

Ashe swept her tattered cape aside, panting as she aimed arrow after arrow at Draven. He had been chuckling the entire time, barely scratched as he dodged her shots and counterattacked. "I'll give you a chance to run," he taunted as he tilted his head to the side to avoid another blow. He threw an axe at her, and she was forced to leap to the side. However, the blade cut her shoulder, leaving a gash that began bleeding profusely. "Ugh..." the archer groaned. Eyes fixed squarely on the swaggering executioner, Ashe pulled back a crystal arrow and let loose, praying that it would end his life once and for all. The arrow whistled through the air, crystallizing into ice as it flew. Draven stopped mid-laugh and dodged to the side, but it impaled his left arm, and he yelled out in pain. Ashe let a tired grin play on her lips as she drew her bow one last time. "I don't think so," Draven growled. Using his right hand, he threw his last axe, watching as it glided through the air, spinning, and landed straight in Ashe's chest.

Caitlyn stumbled backwards on her hands and feet as the menacing figure of Sion reached her. He stopped and stared down at her, filled with pure bloodlust. Sion raised his axe and swung down like a guillotine, but Caitlyn rolled, receiving a deep slash on her back. She cried out in pain, her body prone as she collapsed on the ground. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Sion raise his axe once more, and she squeezed her eyes shut, hoping that it would be a swift end. "Get... away from her!" she heard, and her eyes popped open again as she saw a battered Jayce throw a shock blast from an acceleration gate, the force of the blast knocking Sion back. He rushed over to her, helping her up. "You okay?" he asked, panting. She nodded. "Good. Let's finish this."

Rumble knew that Tristy 2's days were already over, after about an hour. Singed's fling had caused the main circuitry of the reworked bed to become twisted, effectively making it a ticking bomb ready to explode at any moment. Rumble looked around at the battlefield; his heart leaped when he saw that Talon and Darius were out of the battle, but the elation quickly faded at the sight of Teemo's mangled carcass and Ashe's limp, bloody body. "Guys!" Rumble tried shouting over the clamor of battle. "Calling for help?" Singed sneered, taking out a poisonous concoction from his belt. "No, I-" Rumble started before an explosion erupted from Tristy 2's systems, spewing sparks everywhere.

For a second, all action stilled as everyone looked at the shaking Tristy 2. As if waiting for the cue, everyone turned and ran from the room, just as an enormous blast consumed the High Command center.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's note: **I think it's safe to say that from here on out, almost every chapter will contain character deaths. I'M SORRY IF THE CHARACTER YOU LOVE IS KILLED. Sacrifices are made in war. With that said, here's chapter 6.

* * *

Chapter 6

Those that made it out of the Command Room stared back at the blazing inferno. "Sion and Darius were still in there," Jayce murmured, hoping feverishly that they'd been killed. He kept Caitlyn close to his side, one arm wrapped around her waist.

The sheriff nodded, then looked to the side; the Noxians were also surveying their burning headquarters. Swain had resumed his human form, leaning heavily on his staff as he watched the building collapse in flames. Suddenly, he turned towards the surviving rescue group. "I believe we have unfinished business," he pronounced with a chilling glare.

Jayce aimed his cannon at the Noxians, though fatigue accompanied every movement. "Yes, I believe we do," he answered back with an equally harsh glower.

"Hold on here," a new voice popped out from behind the two tense factions. "Why don't you hear what I have to say?" LeBlanc smiled sweetly as she emerged from the shadows, dragging an unconscious Darius by the arm. She dropped him at the Noxians' feet, and took her place at their side. "I think you may recognize that you're very outnumbered," the deceiver said coyly.

Jayce and the others looked around; Noxian solders from the camp were streaming in, gathering on the drawbridge. "You... didn't take care of those guys first?" Jayce raised an eyebrow.

"It was supposed to be reconnaissance," Vayne mumbled.

Jayce sighed heavily, realizing that their options were severely limited. They could either blast their way past the Noxian lackeys, but while being bombarded from behind by the higher ups. Alternatively, they could surrender and throw themselves at the mercy of Noxians. And the last scenario Jayce thought of was fighting to the death, taking out as many enemies as possible before falling in battle. None of those were particularly appealing to him, but he knew which one his comrades would choose.

"All right guys, listen up," Jayce began. "This could very well be our last battle. We aren't going to give into what those monsters want. Fight as hard as you can, and don't forget what we stand for."

Vayne, Caitlyn, and Rumble nodded in agreement. Suddenly, LeBlanc's voice called out to them again. "I got an offer for you guys," she said. "You give us Caitlyn, just Caitlyn, and we'll stop our attack on Piltover and let the rest of you go."

"What?" Caitlyn stiffened. Her life for those in Piltover... and Jayce's?

"Cait, no," Jayce gripped her tighter to himself. "You can't trust anything they say."

"Oh, come on!" LeBlanc called cheerfully. "We'll even make the soldiers go back!"

They looked across the bridge, and sure enough, the soldiers were retreating. "Jayce..." Caitlyn looked up, and bit her lip as she saw the agony and caring etched into his face.

"I... I can't lose you," Jayce confessed. "Please."

"So you're allowed to sacrifice yourself for everyone, but I'm not?" Caitlyn replied haughtily, pushing herself out of Jayce's embrace.

As the couple argued, the Noxians watched impatiently from afar. "Damn," Draven commented. "If they were me, they'd be doing it already."

"...And that's final, Jayce," Caitlyn told him, her hands on her hips.

Jayce sighed, knowing that the stubborn sheriff would follow through no matter what. "Cait... what they're going to do to you is something that no one should have to endure. So please, look me in the eye and tell me that you're willing to make me be in more pain than they've ever caused me just because there's a shady chance that we might get out of this."

Caitlyn steeled herself, clenching her gun tightly with her hands. She raised her head and looked at Jayce, her expression one of fear, determination, and pain. "I have to," she answered. She switched her attention back to the Noxians, still full of indecision. "All right," she called. "I accept your terms."

"Wonderful," LeBlanc replied. "Lay down your weapon and join us here, and your friends will be free to go."

Caitlyn hesitated for just a moment before giving her beloved rifle to Jayce, and headed across the no-man's-land towards the Noxians. Upon reaching the group, Caitlyn swerved around to face Jayce once more. "Please, be safe," she said.

"No need for that sappy talk," Swain sneered. He signaled to Draven, who took his axe and shoved it through Caitlyn's back, straight into her heart. Her eyes bulged as she struggled to speak, blood spurting out of her mouth. "You... tricked..."

LeBlanc laughed with delight, clapping her hands together. "I'm the one who made the offer," she said smugly. "No one said that the others were in on it."

Jayce could only stand and watch as Caitlyn fell to her knees, her gaze turning to the man she loved as her last tear streamed down her face and pooled together with her blood.

"We were going to terminate you all anyway," Swain said with satisfaction. "She was simply an early casualty."

Jayce had no words for the feelings broiling up inside him. He couldn't breathe, his eyes staring without seeing, his body trembling so violently that it seemed he was having a seizure. All the hatred he'd been festering within his body for the Noxians seemed to be spilling out of his heart and into his bloodstream, making his vision tinted with red and giving him newfound strength. With a wild, feral roar, Jayce sprung into action.

Vayne and Rumble rushing in alongside him, knowing that it was time for their final stand. Vayne went straight for Singed, the chemist taking bolts in his nerve-deadened body. He seemed not to feel any pain, and took a flask of poison, ready to unleash it onto the field. Before he could do so, however, a huge metal arrow impaled his chest, and the scientist fell backwards, spilling the toxic chemicals all over the place.

As the poison pooled around Singed's body, Rumble picked up the chunks of stone that had been dislodged from the explosion. He knew he couldn't be much use in this battle; at the very least, though, he could be a distraction. The yordle started hurtling stones at Swain, causing the leader to return to his horrific bird form. With a growl, Swain advanced towards the daring mechanic as he began his assault.

Jayce headed directly toward Draven, incomprehensible yells emanating from his mouth. Tears streamed from his eyes as Jayce shot blast after blast at the axe-hurler while he ran ever closer. Draven, unprepared for the relentless assault, clumsily dodged around it while taking some blows. "Man, Jayce, you should be more like Draaaaven," the executioner panted. "Don't have to worry about other people. Just... Draaaaven." Ignoring the taunts, Jayce switched his cannon into hammer, and feigned a smash down, drawing Draven's arms up in a defensive stance. Instead, Jayce kicked into his stomach furiously, sending the executioner's body flying back. Draven tumbled over himself with the force of the blow, and slowly regained his composure. He looked up, and there was Jayce, standing over him with a glare of pure enmity.

"We can work something out," Draven started. "Draven provides a nice bit of-" The rest of his sentence ended in a _hckkkk_ as Jayce grabbed him by the throat, squeezing tightly. He slammed the Noxian back onto the ground, and pressed his foot against Draven's chest. Still not done, Jayce raised his hammer and swung at the helpless Draven's face like a golf club, shattering his jaw into tiny pieces. Draven's mangled face bore evidence of tears as Jayce set his hammer aside and simply started punching him over and over again, until his fists were soaked in crimson.

"But... I'm... me," the mangled Noxian moaned pitifully, until one last fury-filled punch finally made him fall silent. Jayce sat back, kneeling over his crude handiwork. His hands were clenched tightly together, showered in Draven's blood. There was no satisfaction in his revenge, only an unfathomable abyss in his heart at the loss of Caitlyn. Ignoring the rest of the battles around him, Jayce stumbled his way toward his fallen love, gasping as he realized that there was a tiny glimmer of life in her hazel eyes.

He knelt down, taking her head in his lap. "C-Caitlyn..." he sobbed, not caring at all about his appearance in front of everyone there. "I shouldn't have ever let you go."

Her mouth quivered as she tried to speak, but she only coughed, more blood spurting out, spilling over Jayce's pants. "Z..." she whispered. "Zil..."

Jayce shook his head desperately, clutching one of her hands in his. He leaned over her, trying to hear her last words. "Zile... an..." The dim spark faded afterwards, and Caitlyn fell limp in his arms. Jayce let out a desolate howl of torment.

* * *

**Author's note: **THIS CHAPTER WAS HEARTBREAKING TO WRITE. I absolutely hate myself for writing this, but it had to be done. So if you're feeling extremely sad by this, I am too.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"So... that's what would've happened?" Jayce asked skeptically, looking at the old, timeless man next to him. Zilean shook his head.

"It already has happened," the timekeeper said. "But you asked me to change it."

"I don't really remember that," Jayce answered, staring down at the glass ball. Caitlyn had died? At that moment, when he'd been watching her walk across to the Noxians, he just wanted to reach into that past and grab her by the arm, away from danger.

"Of course you don't," Zilean answered, "That thread of history has been changed."

In fact, Jayce didn't remember anything at all except waking up in the timekeeper's spare room with one hell of a headache. "So... what happens now?" he inquired. "I don't know when it is, or what occurred."

Zilean turned to face the confused Piltover protector. "Jayce, you're not going to like what you're about to hear," he began cautiously. "It's not easy to change history."

"But at Kalamanda-" he interrupted, suddenly fearful of where Zilean was going with this.

"Stopping time is different," the old man said. "Forcing an entire event not to occur used up most of my abilities. To the point that my life force is being drained."

"Why?" Jayce whispered. Another death on his hands.

"This was my own choice, young one," Zilean replied sternly. "You don't need to feel guilt about this. In the meantime, I'm still alive, but my magic is dwindling quickly. I must give you details of this time before I pass."

Jayce sighed heavily, and then nodded. He wouldn't have Zilean's death be in vain. "Do you know what will happen next?"

He shook his head. "No, the new future is yours to shape. At the moment, we're in a time stasis bubble. I will warn you: I do not know where in the current time thread you will reemerge into."

"You can't control that?" Jayce narrowed his eyes.

"Do you not understand how complex the time-space continuum is?" Zilean suddenly stared into Jayce's eyes with a soul-piercing glare. "I have risked everything for you to make right what is happening in Valoran."

Jayce winced, realizing his insensitivity. "Sorry," he mumbled. "Please continue."

The old timekeeper sighed deeply. "All I know is that you have been captured by the Noxians. More than that, I cannot guarantee. You could be on the road with Diana, or in the hospital with Akali. But the one thing that will not have happened is Caitlyn's death."

Jayce breathed out a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "I understand."

"I can feel my time running out," Zilean inhaled deeply. "Please, you must succeed. There will be no redo if you fail."

"I know," Jayce looked him straight in the eye. "For Piltover, for everyone, I won't let Noxus continue with their blasphemous ways."

"Good luck, Jayce," Zilean gave a small smile, until his form starting shimmering and he slowly faded out of sight. At the same time, the room they were in begun dissolving, collapsing around the dying man as his life ended in unison.

* * *

Jayce came to in the Noxian High Command room. He groaned and peered at his surroundings, dazed. Jayce was seated in a metal chair, his wrists handcuffed behind his back, his ankles to the front legs of the chair. Looking up, he noticed Swain glaring down at him condescendingly.

"Commander Jayce," he boomed. "You have been charged with munity against the High Command of Noxus. How do you plead?"

"Wait... what?" Jayce looked down at his clothes; he was not wearing his usual jacket and baggy pants, but a Noxian military uniform. "No... no way..."

"You have been caught helping Piltover rebels escape!" Swain yelled, furiously boring into the confused prisoner with his eyes.

Jayce raised his head defiantly. "You know what? You can go eat your own bird shit and die in hell. I regret nothing."

Swain's eyes practically bulged out of his sockets. "Very well, Jayce," he retorted. "The High Command hears your plea of guilty." Lights illuminated the seats next to Swain, and Jayce gasped at the figures there.

Katarina, Draven, Darius, and Talon were there as usual, but the presence of Xin Zhao was unprecedented. So too was Shen, whose steely gaze focused coldly on Jayce. "Your punishment is to spend the rest of your days in The Fleshing arena. As you know, you will be pitted against other warriors until you die. You should find solace in that you're continuing to serve Noxus, despite your betrayal. Guards."

With that, the door banged open, and who else was there to take him to his new home in the gladiator pits than Vi? She wore the usual expression of Noxians; a hostile glare dominated her face, but it was so good to see her alive again that Jayce didn't care. "Wait, you're a guard?" Jayce whispered.

"What the hell, _Commander,_" Vi spat the title with indignation. "I'm the warden. You're the one who got me into this position, remember?" She unlocked Jayce's ankles from the chair surprisingly quickly despite her gauntlets, but kept his handcuffs on his wrists.

"Where's Caitlyn?" he asked her, compliantly allowing himself to be led away.

"What, the head of the Piltover resistance?" Vi spat. "That cupcake sucker will fall into our hands soon enough. She would've already if you hadn't help her escape from Demacia," she shot a murderous glare at him. "If I didn't think you had a shred of manliness in you, I'd say you were crushing on her."

The two of them walked through the dark halls of the High Command palace, until they descended some stairs and came to a huge, bolted metal door. Vi pressed a button on her gauntlet, and the doors slid open to reveal tiny holding cells, each with a door in the front and back. The front one was the usual cage door, but the back one looked like a stone slab that could slide up to reveal another passageway.

As the Vi marched Jayce past the other cells, he noticed the gaunt, haunted look that accompanied most of the prisoners. They looked at him as he passed by, but turned their heads away when he peered at them with curiosity. Finally, they reached the end of the hallway, and Vi pressed a different button on her metal fist, and the door opened.

She shoved him inside roughly, and said, "Listen, Jayce. You're one of the only guys around here that I can respect. The Fleshing? You'll be able to survive it, but sooner or later, they'll have a 'showcase'. You know the ones I'm talking about, the ones where Draven comes in and beats the shit out of you, making you suffer and keeping you alive while the crowd goes wild. You may as well walk up to him and shove his axe into your heart. I don't know why you betrayed us, but it doesn't matter. I just wanted to say that I wouldn't enjoy watching you die."

Jayce chuckled just a bit. "Vi, you've still got more Piltover in you than you think."

She stiffened. "Just because I used to work with Caitlyn... how dare you..." Her demeanor changed so swiftly it was almost instantaneous. She shut his door and refused to look at him again as she headed down the hallway and out the holding cells.

* * *

It was as Vi said. Jayce, allowed to wield his hammer (it was more powerful than his original, but at the same time more unstable), easily survived his first few rounds of The Fleshing. One day, however, as the back door to his cell opened and he walked out into the brightly lit arena, there was no one there except him and the crowd. That could only mean...

"Ladies and gentlemen," Vi's voice echoed around the arena. "Say hello to our favorite gladiator, our strongest, most handsome... DRAAAAVEN!"

A wildly loud roar of praise erupted from the stands, as another door on the other side opened, and Draven appeared with his axes raised, grinning broadly and waving to the crowd. "DRAVEN, DRAVEN, DRAVEN," they chanted.

"Oh good, I can kill this asshole again," Jayce muttered. He looked to his right, and a stand rose up with a case. He clicked it open, and grabbed his hammer, glaring at his swaggering opponent. Just as he was about to charge, something clicked in his mind. Something was wrong about the hammer... he glanced down at the arcane crystal-powered drive, and realized just how unstable it was.

Jayce then looked at the arena walls, and realized... _everything here is made out of that Icathian stone,_ he recalled. _Prone to... heat._ He turned around and began firing blast after blast out of his changed cannon, much to the confusion and hullabaloo of the crowd.

"He can't even aim!" Draven chortled, advancing toward Jayce with his axes whirling.

He paid the executioner no mind, and instead walked up to the wall. Jayce hovered his hand over the spot, and nodded with satisfaction before transforming his weapon into a hammer. With all of his strength, Jayce pounded his hammer against the wall, shattering the crystal within and blowing the entire section away in pieces. A huge cloud of dust billowed from the wreckage, spreading across the arena.

"Wait, he's not allowed to do that!" Draven growled, rushing closer towards his prey. He ran straight into the dust haze, searching in vain for his quarry.

"I don't think so, big boy," came a very welcome voice. Jayce staggered towards it, hardly able to believe that it had worked. As the dust dissipated, Jayce found himself staring at the form of Caitlyn, her mouth turned down in a frown, brow scrunched together with concentration as she aimed her rifle at Draven.

"C-Caitlyn?" Jayce stuttered.

"Not now, Noxian," she replied straightforwardly. "First, to take care of this one." She raised her gun to shoulder height, took aim at the stumbling Draven, and shot. Draven, hearing the blast, threw himself onto the ground, looking around through the residual dirt fog.

"Blast it, you distracted me," she glared at Jayce. He raised both his hands up into the air, feigning submission.

"I'm sorry, my queen," he bowed. "Do let me make it up to you."


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's note: **I'm very sorry for the delay, I actually bought Jayce in game. Anyway, here's chapter 8! :D I'd also like to say a mighty thank you to all the viewers; I'm up to over 900 views on this story!

* * *

Chapter 8

Everywhere, pandemonium ensued. The audience was screaming, guards were pouring in from the exits, and the rebel army was streaming in from the hole that Jayce had made. Not only were Teemo, Vayne, Rumble, and Ashe there, but also Diana and Leona, much to Jayce's surprise.

"Diana?" Jayce voiced his confusion aloud. She proudly bore the armor and weapons of a Solari, and the two women seemed like sisters as they stood side by side.

"What?" she asked, her silver hair contrasting wildly with her golden adornments. "Leona, what's this guy doing? Is he hitting on me?"

Leona laughed. "The mighty Noxian commander seems so surprised to know he didn't kill you."

"Kill-? All right, whatever," Jayce shook his head. He had no idea what the Noxian Jayce had done, but it seemed that he was on par with Darius and Katarina. Speaking of which, the entire High Command had made their way into the arena; it seemed that the battleground would be in the enclosed space.

Jayce glanced over to Caitlyn, who had begun issuing orders. "Ashe, take the yordles and flank them from the right. Vayne and Rumble, I need you to stay with me and distract anyone who comes after me. Tryndamere, head left with your warriors - don't give me that look, Ashe will be fine. And as for you," she faced Jayce. "Will you fight with us, or will you end our bargain here and leave?"

"Um, bargain? Oh, well of course I'll fight with you," Jayce set aside his thoughts and focused on the incoming uproar. "I'd die for Piltover... and for you."

Caitlyn rolled her eyes. "You turned Vi against me. You grew up knowing the cruelty of Noxus, yet you excelled in their ranks. Don't think that I'll ever forgive what you've done to the innocents of Valoran."

"Hold on a second, you and Vi were... actually partners? Like, more than police partners?" Jayce recoiled, taken aback.

"Everyone in Runeterra knew that," Caitlyn snapped. "I don't know how or why you chose to get Vi away from me, but are you going to shut up and help or continue to babble on about my love life?"

"All right, all right," Jayce answered, though this was more of a blow than he thought. She... was with Vi. Had been. He'd messed up her relationship? What kind of dick was Noxian Jayce?

He shook his head, attempting to dispel the unpleasant thoughts. Looking across the battlefield, it seemed that the Noxians had come up with a plan. They had three metal cages brought up from the dungeons; Jayce didn't remember seeing them during his time there, but he could guess that whatever they contained was not pretty. It was like there was a chill emanating from each of the cages - a malicious, terrifying force that spoke of fear and death.

"Release them!" Jayce heard Darius yell.

The cage handlers stepped back and pressed a button, and the doors slid open. From the middle, a creature that could only have been made of shadow floated out. His ethereal arms had blades attached to their sides, and Nocturne turned his cold blue gaze onto the Noxians.

"Mortals... how dare you imprison me within that cage," Nocturne hissed, flicking an arm out and releasing a blade.

Darius stepped forth. "Nocturne, the ones over there are friends of the League. They enjoyed being chosen by summoners to be their slaves and do their bidding. We destroyed the Institute of War - but we wanted to make sure that powerful beings such as you were not harmed."

Nocturne glared for a moment, then turned back to face the incoming rebels. "Very well, Noxian," he finally said. "I'll take your word for it, but I expect reconciliation for my imprisonment."

Darius nodded, satisfied. "Of course, you will be paid back with subjects to feast on."

Nocturne laughed, the horrible, rasping sound seeming to echo across the arena. He started gliding to meet the soldiers of Piltover, his frightening appearance inspiring dread at the oncoming rebels.

The second door slid open, revealing a thin scarecrow, his emerald eyes shining with malice as he stepped out of his prison. His scythe grasped in his straw-stuffed arms, he paid no mind to the Noxians around him; he focused on the battle playing out in front of him, and with an unearthly laugh, launched himself into the fray, as a murder of crows streamed out the cage behind him.

The third containment cell opened, and a ghostly centaur charged out, wisps of blue smoke forming his entire armor-covered body. Hecarim glared around at his surroundings. "This is not the League," he boomed, raising his spear into an offensive stance at his displeasure. "The Shadow Isles must be known!" His spectral eyes found the rebels, and they narrowed with suspicion. "They must be the culprits." Hecarim flew toward the rebels, a legion of ghostly riders following him.

As the three former champions clashed with the Piltover forces, Caitlyn noticed their army being overwhelmed with fear. "Diana, Leona. I need you two to take care of Hecarim, Fiddlesticks, and Nocturne," she ordered. "Take Jayce with you."

The two nodded, and Leona glanced at Jayce. "Come on, Noxian. It's about time you showed your worth."

"My name is Jayce," he retorted. "And I don't have a weapon."

"Your Hammer is..." Diana looked at him, intrigued.

"It's what blew up the wall," he answered flatly.

"No, your hammer is meant to do that," Diana finished. "The crystal is self-regenerating, remember? Didn't you make that feature yourself? Viktor just about threw himself down a well trying to replicate that."

"Oh... really?" Jayce looked to the side, and there his weapon was, lying on the ground next to the wreckage. He picked it up, still unsure about the safety of the crystal. "Lead the charge then, Leona."

She nodded, and the Solari woman raised her blade, calling down a blast of solar power. The impact left Nocturne dazed, shielding his eyes with a raised arm. "Diana, go!" Leona shouted.

Diana took her sword and charged straight at the stunned monster, slicing through his body. "Ah... that doesn't work," she commented as her weapon simply went straight through him. "Maybe magic?" Diana closed her eyes and concentrated, her sword starting to glow with solar energy. She plunged her blade straight into the heart of Nocturne's body, and as he started to recover from Leona's attack, he glanced down at the piercing agony that burned through him.

With a horrible screech, Nocturne grabbed Diana by the wrist, flinging her aside. "Damn, he's tough," Leona said, rushing over to her clan mate. Nocturne turned his furious attention on the two girls, and suddenly, the entire arena begun to fade into black.

_DARKNESS_... came the shadowy whisper, and Nocturne flew straight at Leona, his blade aimed for her heart. "NO!" Diana cried, shoving her sister over. Nocturne impaled Diana's leg, his blade going straight through.

"Ugh," Diana groaned, as the shadows faded away. Nocturne yanked the knife from her, drawing another pained cry. As he raised his blade once more, Diana only had eyes for Leona. "Just make those bastards pay," she whispered.

"No!" Leona pushed herself up, bashing Nocturne with her shield. Diana watched as Leona's body shimmered radiantly, and a burst of power exploded outward. Nocturne took the full impact of it, and let forth a horrific screech as his body twisted in on it and faded into the air.

In the meantime, Jayce faced the harbinger of doom, relentlessly being bombarded by crows. He blasted some out of the air, but Fiddle seemed to have a limitless supply of the blasted birds. "Now both crows and ravens are on my hate list," he muttered, before switching to hammer stance. Having had enough of Fiddle's attacks, Jayce leapt into the air and brought his hammer down, but landed just short of his target, trapped in a kneeling stance.

"Wha- what's happening?" Jayce shuddered, his entire body frozen with terror. It seemed as though his life was being sapped from him, and with more than a little effort, Jayce stood and knocked Fiddle aside with his hammer, before switching stances quickly and blasting him away. "Stupid scarecrow," he scowled.

Ashe and the yordles, consisting of Teemo, Tristana, Lulu, Heimerdinger, and Corki, were met with their own troubles as they faced down a regiment of Noxians led jointly by Katarina and Talon. Though outnumbered, Ashe's group could easily take out a wave of the Noxian minions in no time. "Lulu, I need you to shut Katarina down," Ashe ordered. "Teemo, get on Talon. Heimer, take out as many of their minions as you can. Corki and Trist, focus on Katarina. I'll help Teemo."

The group nodded, and Heimer started setting up his turrets, which pummeled away at the lesser soldiers.

"Talon," Katarina glanced at her partner. "You handle Lulu. I'll get on everyone else."

"Going alone?" Talon murmured. "They may not be as weak as you think."

"I know what I'm doing," Kat replied.

Talon sighed. She was always so stubborn. "Very well, go."

Talon rushed towards Lulu, who was glaring at Kat. He disappeared in mid air, appearing right behind the unsuspecting yordle with his knife at her throat. "One down," he said, before he suddenly grew tiny, prancing around the battlefield as a bunny.

Teemo sped towards Talon, who had resumed his human form with burning cheeks. As Lulu withdrew, Teemo spat dart after dart at Talon, each infused with poison. He shot out a series of blades, and Teemo dodged through them, continuing his assault as Katarina took advantage of the action to creep close enough.

She suddenly leapt into the middle of the resistance group, throwing knives in every direction. Lulu, her magic not yet restored, fell quickly with a high-pitched squawk. Teemo was forced to break off his assault, ducking the blades. Talon took advantage of his hesitation and jumped to him, but Teemo expected it. He took a dart from his pack and stabbed it into Talon's neck, watching coldly as the poison sunk into his system and left him choking for breath.

"One down," Teemo said.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note: **I know I've slowed down in my updating, and I'm very thankful to all of you guys for bearing with me. I had some real life stuff going on, but I managed to find time to finish this latest chapter. Once more, character death is involved! Thanks for sticking with me, and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 9

Talon's sight turned blurry, his vision fading in and out. Pain coursed throughout his entire body, and somehow, he felt like he'd done this before. He didn't know why the feeling of dying felt so familiar, but as his life slipped away from him, he wished only for Katarina to be safe.

After Kat's death lotus, Heimer, Lulu, and Tristana had fallen, leaving the assassin to deal with Ashe, Teemo, and Corki. The three rebels grouped together as the Noxian minions swarmed around them, surrounding them quickly.

"Give up, and perhaps Noxus will show you mercy," Katarina said, stepping forth from the circle.

"Oh, shut it, blackshoe," Corki replied angrily. "You're just a delta sierra."

Ashe and Teemo glanced him. "What?" he said.

"I'll assume you're speaking for all three," Katarina said coolly. "Very well then, we'll do this the hard way."

"Corki," Ashe whispered. "Shoot the flare."

"Well, but that's for emergencies," Corki replied. "We can handle-"

"Now," she hissed.

"Oh, all right. This is why I prefer sorties." Corki took the flare from inside the cockpit and shot it up, watching it explode into red light.

Caitlyn noticed the flare go up. "Red... that's Ashe's signal. Rumble, go ahead and go help them. We can take care of whatever's here." She shared a look with Vayne, who nodded.

"On my way," the yordle replied, heading off with his trusty Tristy.

* * *

In the meanwhile, Tryndamere was simultaneously facing Draven and Darius. He dragged his huge sword behind him with his right arm, knowing that Draven was his immediate threat. He gave out a roar and spun towards the executioner, who sidestepped the spinning barbarian and threw an axe at his neck. Tryndamere ducked quickly, then pushed himself backwards on his feet as Darius attempted to pull him towards himself.

The king whirled around, aiming to slice Draven right in half. The Noxian threw himself aside, but not before a deep cut appeared in his side. Draven gasped with pain and clutched the wound, glaring at Tryn. With his other axe, he swiped at his legs, but Tryndamere hopped over the weak attack easily before drawing back and plunging his sword straight through Draven's thin body.

The executioner's eyes bulged open as Darius let out a roar of fury. Blood ran from both Draven's stomach and mouth, pooling beneath his body as Tryndamere kicked it off his sword. "One piece of scum dead," he growled, turning to face Darius. Unbelievably, he saw a tear run down the commander's face. "What's the matter Darius, getting old?"

Draven was the one that Darius had fought all his life to protect, and now he was gone... taken from him by this uncivilized ape? Unacceptable. Darius raised his own huge axe with a feral roar, and slammed it down on Tryndamere's sword, now raised above his head defensively. He spun around, his axe flying in a whirl of death. Tryndamere caught the blow full in the chest, and flew backward, landing heavily on his back as the huge gash began to spurt out his life force.

Darius slowly walked over to Tryndamere's prone body, the expression on his face twisted by grief and rage. He raised his axe once more, and then brought it down heavily into Tryndamere's chest. The warrior king's body convulsed at the blow before laying still. Darius spat on the body, removed his weapon, and started making his way to the fallen Draven. What he didn't notice, however, was Tryndamere's entire body beginning to glow a bright, crimson red, his broken body healing and his blood being replaced with rage.

The barbarian slowly rose, eyes pouring forth a glowing aura of pure hatred. He grabbed his sword as Darius held Draven's body in his arms. Tryn walked over to where the Blood Brothers were, until he stood right behind them. He raised his sword and with an unearthly howl, pounded down. Darius look behind him at that split second, but the only reaction he could make was to widen his eyes before his body - and Draven's - was split in two.

Tryndamere stared at his fallen enemies, leaning heavily on his sword as blood spread out in rivers around his feet, pooling together to form a lake of Noxian essence. A bright flash caught his eye, and he noticed the distress flare of Ashe's group. "Pull yourself together, Tryndamere," he panted. "Ashe needs your help..." He began to stagger towards her location, his body aching as though he'd just been hit with Nasus' Siphoning Strike.

* * *

Caitlyn and Vayne had gone unnoticed for the moment, but not for long. Hecarim spied the two attempting to keep a low profile, and with a wild war cry that was more like a neigh, he charged at them, his ghost riders following him.

"Vayne, I need you to stun him," Caitlyn ordered. "I'll try to distract."

The night hunter nodded assent, and tumbled around invisibly, her huge crossbow at the ready.

Caitlyn raised her gun and shot at Hecarim, the bullet clinking harmlessly off his armor. "Mortal fools," he laughed. "Prepare to face the might of the Shadow Isles." He raised his spear and cantered closer to Caitlyn, until he began to rotate his weapon around, cleaving everything in sight.

"Now, Vayne!" Caitlyn yelled. Vayne suddenly appeared out of nowhere, charged up her crossbow, and let fly. "Futile!" Hecarim shouted as the bolt came racing toward him. "Nothing can - _hhhkkk_." The bolt had pierced straight through his armor and pinned him against the side of a huge chunk of debris from the explosion. "This is nothing," he growled, as Caitlyn and Vayne began spraying him with bullets and silver bolts. "S-Silver? N-No..."

As the silver began to penetrate his spectral body, his ghostly form seemed to dim, and as Hecarim let out horrible wails, his body faded in on itself until only his otherworldly armor remained.

* * *

Rumble managed to blast through a good deal of minions with Tristy until he reached Ashe's stragglers. Katarina, noticing him coming, smirked. "Another to bring down, eh?" she commented as he joined the fray.

"Not just him," a grunt came from the other side. She whirled around to see a near-dead Tryndamere cutting down more minions casually.

"No matter," she laughed. "Maybe you should go to a resting home, Tryndamere, you seem to be having a little trouble."

"Well, since both Darius and Draven are dead, yeah," he smirked.

Her expression changed immediately.

"Tryn, GO NOW!" Ashe shouted. "You're in no condition to fight!"

"I won't let you get harmed on my watch," he growled back.

"Yeah, well it applies both ways," she responded.

"It doesn't matter," Katarina hissed, her hands trembling as she grasped her blades so tightly that her knuckles were white. "You're all dead."

She leapt into action, disappearing with a flash before appearing straight in front of Corki. She aimed not for him, but for his ROFLcopter, slicing the propeller off and stabbing her other knife into his engine. Before the pilot could react, his plane was shaking and overheating, until with a **BOOM**, both he and it were consumed in flames. By that time, Katarina had disappeared once more.

She targeted Tryndamere next, knowing that he was severely injured. She reappeared at his left side, having seen that his left hand had been clutching it. Kat sunk her dagger through both his hand and his side, receiving a howl of pain and a cry from Ashe for her efforts. Tryndamere sunk to the ground, the dagger still embedded in his body. Kat glared down at him mercilessly, yanked her dagger out, and threw another into his head. "More blood for Noxus," she spat.

"Tryn!" Ashe wailed, her bow aimed at Kat. She let forth, but the assassin was gone once more, and her arrow thudded into the dirt. She swung her head around furiously, looking for the coward. She heard cries emanate from behind her, and noticed that Tristy had sped off, overheating, as Rumble ran after his beloved machine. Teemo lay, barely conscious, on the ground, a diagonal slash across his chest.

Katarina laughed, materializing in front of the stricken archer. She raised a knife and licked blood off of it. "So what now, Ashe?"

* * *

**Author's note: **Kat is extremely op... her cooldowns all reset.


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's note: **I'm dealing with a lot of family issues at the moment. I promise, promise, promise that I'm still writing! It's just a hard time right now. Anyway, thank you for being so patient! I can't believe that this story has 1700 views; you guys are amazing. Here's chapter 10, enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 10

Just herself versus the most infamous assassin in Valoran? No problem. Ashe raised her bow, knowing that Katarina's mobility would give her an edge. However, Ashe still had a trick up her sleeve.

Katarina began moving in a circle around her prey, eyes hungrily thirsting for the archer's blood. Ashe turned with her, her weight on her toes, ready to move in an instant. Kat lunged forward, and Ashe flinched, but she withdrew back with a high-pitched laugh. "Oh, Ashe," she chortled. "You're so prepared to die, it's pitiful."

"Your overconfidence will be your undoing," she replied quietly. Ashe began bombarding Kat with a flurry of ice arrows, but, as expected, she merely dodged and ducked around the attack, the arrows landing harmlessly in the dirt.

"I'm going to enjoy ripping you apart," Kat purred. She leapt forward and disappeared, materializing... right beneath Ashe's feet. Unaware of the blush that tinged her cheeks, Ashe tried to leap backwards, but Katarina caught her ankle, and she crashed to the ground, her breath rushing out of her body with an _umph_. Kat laughed again, but didn't strike.

_Playing with her food,_ Ashe thought grimly.

"Come on, Ashe," Katarina smirked. "You've got to do better than that." She backed off and once more begun to stalk around the archer, bent forward with knives at the ready.

Ashe picked herself up off the ground, and stowed a single arrow in her belt. She then showered Kat with attacks, but the assassin easily sidestepped them all. "You're boring me," the Noxian growled. She flashed in again, and this time, appeared at Ashe's left side. Kat was kneeling in a crouch, and she slashed at Ashe's thigh, drawing a cry of pain. Ashe went down on her knee, grasping her thigh with her left hand as she glared at Kat.

Her right hand slowly reached toward the arrow she'd stowed away, the movement blocked by her body. Kat stood and put her blade over Ashe's throat. "Well, Ashe, that was one of the most pitiful displays I've ever-" Her insult stopped mid-sentence, and she looked down to find out where the sudden onslaught of pain came from.

The arrow was buried straight in her stomach. Katarina staggered away from Ashe, her body bent over the wound. "You..." she coughed. "Won't get away with this." She raised a hand behind her to grab a spare blade from her back, despite the additional agony the movement brought. She flung it at Ashe, watching greedily as it spun toward the injured archer.

_Clang_.

"Not today, Katarina," Jayce snarled. The knife had bounced harmlessly off his hammer, clattering to the ground uselessly.

"Jayce," the assassin spat. "Of course you would come to the aid of these weaklings. You're the worst scum of them all."

"And yet, I'm not the one who's going to die," he replied, switching to cannon stance.

"Jayce," Ashe said, her voice strong despite her fatigue and injuries.

He turned to face her. "Yes?"

"She will die. Just leave her; there are more important things to do now. Dying with an arrow in your stomach is one of the slowest and most painful ways to go," Ashe finished with a wry grin.

He hesitated, and then nodded. "I have to get you back first."

Ashe shook her head. "I'm fine. I can walk."

"You'll never get through the battles!" Jayce insisted. "Let me escort you."

"No, please just waste more time," Kat interjected.

"They've already wasted enough," a new voice called. The three looked towards the source, and who else was there but Xin Zhao?

The warrior was decked in the black combat uniform of top officers, his cold gaze fixed on Jayce. "You were a top role model for all in Noxus," Xin spat. "And yet, you were a coward all along. You disappoint me, Jayce."

He laughed. "Where I come from, I'm a Piltover man through and through. And you, Xin, are Demacian. Was. This world is rather confounding, more so than the one I left."

"You speak as if you've time traveled," Xin raised an eyebrow.

"As if?" Jayce replied. "I have. And I'm glad to see that this Jayce at least had part of his heart in the right place."

Xin raised his spear, preparing to charge at Jayce. "A shame I'm not able to kill both you and the one you took over," he snarled.

"Wait, wait, wait," Ashe interrupted. "You're not from here?"

Kat laughed breathlessly from where she lay. "Jayce has just gone mad. Why else would he choose to betray the most powerful city in Valoran?"

"It doesn't matter," Jayce shook his head. "I just have to take care of this guy first."

Xin rushed at Jayce, who switched immediately to hammer form. As the warrior leaped at him, Jayce's hammer began to emit an electrical field, sparks flying out and around the weapon. Too late for Xin to break off his attack, he glared at Jayce and dove straight in, jabbing his spear while electricity coursed through his body.

Xin gave a roar and swept his spear in a circle around him, the hilt slamming into Jayce's side. It sent him flying away, nearly throwing him on top of Ashe. He shook himself off, getting up as he recovered his breath. "All right, time to get serious," he panted.

He switched into cannon form, and threw a shock blast out - one that would never reach Xin by itself. Jayce then conjured an acceleration gate, and Xin, not expecting the speed up of the projectile, was hit full on by the blast of energy. He stumbled backwards, and looked up to see Jayce running toward him, still in cannon form. Xin gave another war cry and grasped his spear tightly in his hands, preparing to plunge it straight through Jayce's body.

Instead, Jayce switched to hammer stance right before Xin lunged forward, and leaped straight up into the air, bringing his hammer down on the warrior's prone neck. Ashe winced as she heard a _CRACK_ from Xin's body. It crumpled immediately, limbs splayed out in unnatural positions.

Jayce stood over his fallen opponent's body, shocked beyond belief. He hadn't meant to kill him, just to injure his shoulder or something.

"Jayce, that was..." Ashe whispered.

"I-I didn't mean to..." he stammered.

"Well, congratulations, Jayce," Kat hissed. "You've proven yourself to be a true Noxian once again."

He shook his head. "No, that was an accident..." He turned to Ashe. "Let's go."

This time, she knew better than to argue with him. She allowed Jayce to help her up, and she put an arm around his shoulder as the two began to slowly make their way toward the rebels. "It's not far," Ashe panted. "Just remember to watch for..."

A sudden shout came from behind the two, and Ashe looked backwards just in time to have Vi's knuckles smash straight into her face. She fell to the ground immediately, blacking out on the spot.

"Vi!" Jayce shouted. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Taking care of rebels," she snarled back. "What does it look like? You're next."

Caitlyn spied Jayce and Ashe just a second before Vi appeared, smashing the injured archer down. "Vi..." Caitlyn hissed under her breath.

Vayne glanced at the sniper, doubt etched on her face.

"I'll do this alone," she replied in response.

Vayne sighed, and nodded. "Don't be too reckless, and make sure that you are prepared to finish her," the night hunter advised.

"I know."

Caitlyn ran towards the impending battle, stopping to crouch behind a piece of rubble. She set her gun up and pointed the crosshairs at Vi's head, examining her expression through the lens. Vi's face was the same as always - mouth turned down in a rebellious frown, eyes shining brightly with confidence. Taking a shaky breath, Caitlyn lined up the shot, and pressed the trigger.

**BOOM**. _Clink_.

Vi had raised her metal fist to block the bullet, which ricocheted off and fell to the ground. "Nice shot, cupcake," she said, looking directly at Caitlyn.


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's note: **I have 2000 views on this story now! You guys are amazing :) Thanks for being patient again; here's chapter 11!

* * *

Chapter 11

Caitlyn bit her lip as Vi's fierce glance found hers. Jayce, too, whirled around to spot the sniper crouching awkwardly behind a piece of rock. In that moment, Caitlyn felt as small as she possibly could. Jayce's gaze contained full-on concern, and a strange tenderness quite unbefitting of a Noxian. She knew then - knew that he loved her, without any hint of knowing why. Vi's eyes held spite, tinged with regret and the hint of an unknown pain. Yet there was still a small glint of affection there; Vi didn't want to fight Caitlyn, and strangely, the sheriff realized, she didn't want to fight Vi.

The three stood silently for a second, before Vi broke the silence with another of her sarcastically witty comments. "Well, are you gonna hit me or what?" She raised a fist half-heartedly, aiming at Jayce. He stood there for a moment longer before his head swiveled slowly back to see Vi's fist coming at him. He didn't move, just stared as her gauntlet hit his chest with a light _thump_.

He raised his head to see Vi's lowered, her eyes covered by shadow, but her mouth clenched in a grimace of pain as her entire body shook. Caitlyn watched, emotions swirling within her as she tried to make sense of everything. She thought back to a time that Vi was still with her in Piltover - a time when the two were happy.

But with those thoughts came the memory of the breakup.

* * *

_"I can't believe you," Vi snarled, pinning Caitlyn against a wall. "You've been setting yourself up to look better? You've been hiring Noxians to commit crimes and then catching them? Then bribing the judges so they serve a smaller sentence and you pay them off? Caitlyn, what the hell?" _

_"Where in Valoran did you hear that?" Caitlyn replied, stung. "That sounds like the kind of things a sewer rat would spill." _

_"Then where did your newfound prowess come from, huh? You finally caught 'C', without my help. You find every single person that commits even a little bit of wrongdoing. You hardly even talk to me anymore because you're going out and enjoying the praise of the citizens."_

_"Vi! Have I ever come across to you as the type that would pay people off for fame?" Caitlyn pleaded. "Do you think I'd ever do that to you?"_

_"I don't know, cupcake, maybe you were trying to impress me," she shook her head. "I can't stand you anymore. I'm going."_

_"What- no!" Caitlyn's eyes began pouring tears freely as Vi released her and turned away. She ran forward a few steps, reaching for Vi's shoulder._

_"Don't bother," Vi said with her back still turned. "I'm going to Noxus."_

_"WHAT?" At this, Caitlyn flipped. "Out of every place in this world, you choose the absolute worst place? What's wrong with you?"_

_"What's wrong with ME?" Vi whirled around. Caitlyn flinched as Vi's arm swept around, nearly smacking her with her huge fist. "I've gotten an offer from there, and it's better than working with you. I'd rather be somewhere I can actually not have to worry about the integrity of my partners. At least in Noxus, everyone's a scumbag."_

_"What, so that's easier to deal with?" Caitlyn shouted in reply. "I haven't even done anything! Vi, I love you!" _

_Vi bit her lip almost to the point of drawing blood, with her cheeks so flushed it looked like her face was about to explode. When she finally spoke, her voice was low and dull. "No, Caitlyn. It's over."_

* * *

It hadn't been until months later that she realized it been Jayce who'd whispered those rumors around, who'd planted evidence to take Vi away from her, who'd stolen her partner away. But why would he do it? she still wondered. There was no clear motive. Cait shook her head. Now was not the time to think about it. She stepped out from behind her cover, holding her gun loosely in her hands.

The sniper rushed over to Vi, then slowed down as she approached. "Vi?" she said gently.

Vi raised her head, her expression one of pain and confusion as tears rolled down her face. "I can't," she choked.

Jayce stared at the two women, confused. "You said something earlier about how I made Vi leave you," he said carefully, addressing Caitlyn. "What exactly did I tell her?"

"You don't remember?" Caitlyn snarled. "You said that I'd been hiring people that I could catch to further my self image. You even planted evidence around Piltover. I don't know how or why you did it."

Jayce shook his head and sighed heavily. "I'm not the Noxian Jayce you know. I don't know why he did it either, but if I had to guess, it was because Piltover was rising in power, mainly due to the two of you working together. And he needed a way to stop that."

"You seem to know a lot for not being 'Noxian Jayce,'" Vi whispered angrily.

"Why didn't you come back once you knew he was wrong?" Caitlyn asked Vi.

"I always thought it was true until now," she responded, ashamedly averting her gaze.

"And you," Caitlyn turned back to Jayce. "Who are you?"

"I'm from a different time," Jayce explained. "In my timeline... you died. I found Zilean and asked him to change that."

Caitlyn scoffed. "You chose to save me instead of preventing Noxian occupation of the entire continent?"

Jayce sighed. "I loved you. And Zilean couldn't change time that much. He died to bring me where I am now."

"And our Zilean died about two weeks ago from an unknown cause," Caitlyn muttered. "And you listen up," her voice suddenly changed fiercely. "I will never, ever love you. And I will never forget what you've done to me and Vi."

"Cait," Vi sighed. "This dude obviously has no recollection of what the one we've known has done. They're not the same person."

"So that means everything is all tea and crumpets now? Everything is forgiven?" she snarled.

"What your Jayce has done... is horrible," Jayce answered sadly. "But will you punish me for it?"

Caitlyn put her hand up to her forehead burying her face in it. "I don't know anymore..." she said dejectedly. Vi walked over to her, placing a giant hand on her shoulder.

"We can still fix this," she said. "I'm with you."

Caitlyn turned and smiled wanly at her. "Thank you."

* * *

As Jayce, Cait, and Vi were sorting things out, the battle had dissipated into a number of smaller skirmishes, but it was easy to see that the rebels were winning.

"This won't do," Swain muttered, looking across the battlefield. He spotted Katarina lying on the ground with the arrow still stuck in her stomach. She had dragged herself over to Talon as a dull pain flowed constantly throughout her body, and she finally fell still as her breathing became ever more shallow. Swain's gaze swerved to the other side, to where Draven and Darius lay collapsed on top of each other, barely recognizable in the lake of congealing blood.

"I didn't want to bring those guys out," Swain sighed. "But it seems I have no choice." He pressed a button on a strange device, and it began beeping. A reply slowly crawled over the screen: "We're already here." The general scowled; they'd just been watching?

No matter. Now that they were here, the rebels would fall within seconds.

A boom emanated from the center of the arena, and everyone turned to watch as the ground slid open, revealing a passageway underneath. As the smoke cleared, three figures arrived, clad in black and red combat garb.

Caitlyn gasped. "The Crimson Elite..."

Jayce gritted his teeth. "That's not gonna be fun. Who makes up their ranks?"

"Only those three," Caitlyn whispered. "Riven, Akali, and Kennen."

Jayce sputtered. "Since when does Noxus accept Yordles and Ionians?"

Caitlyn glanced at him. "Since Kennen destroyed an entire regiment of the finest Noxian soldiers single-handedly, and since Akali was born in Noxus."

Jayce shook his head. "Your world is really weird."

Vi stepped in between the two. "It doesn't matter how weird it is," she said grimly. "This isn't going to be easy."


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's note: **I can't believe that I'm almost to the end of the entire story! Thank you everyone for your support!

* * *

Chapter 12

"How do you propose we fight those guys?" Jayce asked the couple.

"Separate them," Caitlyn said as Vi said, "Spilt 'em up." They shared a small smile, locking hands.

"You should probably get Vayne, then," Jayce suggested.

"I... think we have to go to her," Vi pointed. Cait and Jayce turned to see Riven, Akali, and Kennen spying the night hunter alone, and rushing towards her.

The three of them started towards Vayne, who'd noticed her incoming enemies and began running towards her friends.

"Kennen," Riven ordered. The yordle nodded, and his body became a ball of lightning as he sped up, nearly right behind the startled Vayne. Kennen threw a shuriken at Vayne's fleeing form, but she tumbled just in time to avoid it, the blade whizzing straight over her head. Kennen narrowed his eyes, and tossed another shuriken, which tore a small cut in Vayne's shoulder.

It was all he needed. He let forth a surge of electricity, which coursed through Vayne's body, frying her nerves and leaving her prone as she collapsed. Kennen waited for Riven and Akali to catch up as Vayne twitched on the arena floor, glaring at the yordle.

Riven raised her sword, preparing to stab straight through Vayne's body. Suddenly, a shock blast raced towards the Crimson Elite, and the three dove to the side as the blast exploded beyond them.

Caitlyn kneeled by Vayne. "You all right?" she asked, concerned.

"Fine," the hunter answered. "I'll be able to move in a few seconds."

The sniper nodded. "We'll need to work together on this." She helped Vayne to her feet, who brushed off the dust on her clothes and turned to face their adversaries.

"Four versus three isn't fair," came a malicious voice. Swain stepped into the ranks of the Elite, who had gathered and were surveying their opponents. "May as well make the numbers even."

"We'll cut you down, no matter how many of you there are," Vi retorted, raising her fists.

"Ah, Vi," Swain sighed dramatically. "A shame that you betrayed us on the verge of our victory. It's not too late, though. You can choose the winning side."

"My _side_ is by Caitlyn," she snarled back. "I find cupcakes are more appealing than giant, ugly crows."

A quiet chuckle came from Akali, whose eyes widened and cheeks reddened beneath her mask. Riven, Kennen, and Swain stared at her. "It was kind of funny," she muttered.

"Very well," Swain focused his attention on the rebels once more. "Than your death is assured." He morphed into his raven form as the Elite took battle stances.

"We fight this together," Jayce whispered. "No individual battles. If we take Swain out first, Noxus will be left without a leader. We also have to take care of Riven quickly. She's the head of the Elite." Vayne, Caitlyn, and Vi nodded. "Let's go."

The eight former champions leapt into action. Akali started by laying down a cloud of smoke, enveloping a small area with haze. "Careful Caitlyn!" Vi shouted, forcing the sniper to back away from the fog. Akali burst from the shroud, her kamas aimed for Vi's throat. Vi swung back and punched with all her strength, hoping to catch the assassin in the face. However, she was met with Riven's sword instead, the clash of steel upon steel reverberating through the arena.

Kennen, eyeing Vayne, began to bombard her with shurikens, which she dodged and tumbled through deftly. Jayce, noticing the attacks, rocketed towards the yordle, spewing blast after blast from his cannon. Kennen was forced to rush away in his lightning form, stopping close to Swain. Noxus' leader inscribed a mark on the ground, but Jayce and Vayne stepped back just in time, and the claws that came from it ensnared nothing. "Beatrice," Swain ordered. The raven flew toward Jayce, and opened its beak, sending a beam of magic straight at him.

Jayce grunted as his movements grew more sluggish, pain running through him. "Vayne!" he shouted. She aimed a bolt at the bird, but it broke off its attack and returned to Swain, cawing. At the same time, Vi was battling Riven, who beat off punch after punch with her sword. Akali had returned to her smoke shroud, waiting for the right time to strike. Caitlyn fished a trap from her belt, and tossed it into the shroud, hoping that Akali would get caught.

Caitlyn heard a grunt from Vi as the force of Riven's counterattack knocked her back, sending her flying through the air. Akali took this chance to break through her shroud, once more aiming for Vi. "Oh no you don't," Caitlyn hissed, aiming her gun at the assassin. She shot, but barely missed as the bullet flew just a few inches above Akali's head. It kept soaring through the air, and punctured Swain's wing, forcing a howl of pain.

"Kennen!" Swain yelled. "Do it now!" The yordle complied, and ran into the middle of the chaos.

"Get out!" Jayce shoved Vayne back. A huge storm of lightning erupted from Kennen, electricity sparking through their bodies every second. He followed up with a surge of lightning, and as the attack ended, Jayce, Caitlyn, and Vi fell to the ground, unable to move.

"I'd say we won that rather easily," Swain smirked, slowly walking over to the helpless Jayce, now in human form. "You'll regret messing with Noxus," he promised as he kneeled over Jayce's body.

"It's not over yet," Vayne snarled. She began her assault immediately, vanishing into thin air as she tumbled forward. She targeted Swain first, a huge bolt aimed straight for his chest. The Noxian commander had no time to react, and it punctured straight through him, pinning him against a shard of rock from the arena. Akali leapt into action right away, but as she tried to rush towards the hunter, she disappeared again, appearing at Akali's side. A flurry of silver bolts, and the assassin lay in a pool of blood, silver embedded throughout her body.

Vayne was gone again, but Kennen expected it. He tossed a lightning-laced shuriken as she appeared behind him, and she was forced to abandon her attack as she clumsily rolled to the side. Riven took that opportunity to stride forward, emitting a burst of ki that left Vayne dazed. "We're finished here," Riven said as she raised her sword over the night hunter.

"Not... quite," Vayne choked out before the sword impaled her chest.

Riven glanced around; Swain was definitely gone, his eyes staring at nothing, the huge crossbow bolt jutting out from his body. Kennen ran over to Akali, whose light grey eyes were barely open. "We can still save you," Kennen murmured. She shook her head. "I served... Noxus..." she choked out slowly.

"We know," Riven walked over to her.

They watched as her eyes closed, and her body fell limp. "Let's take care of the rest," Riven turned to see Jayce, Caitlyn, and Vi on their feet, barely able to stand.

"She bought... enough time," Jayce panted, leaning heavily on his hammer. "We're going to finish you."

Riven laughed, but there was no humor in her eyes. She strode back over to Vayne's body, and placed her foot on the hunter's chest. She pulled her sword out, and then gave Vayne a vicious kick. "You can't even stand," she scoffed. "But since you're so eager to face death, we have no problem with that."

Caitlyn's eyes glittered dangerously as Riven abused Vayne's body. "You will pay for what you've done."

"Prove it," Riven snarled.

"Fine!" Vi shouted. "Get dunked!" Her gauntlet locked on Riven, sending her flying through the air towards her target. As she reached the startled warrior, Vi performed a ferocious uppercut, slamming Riven back into the ground, leaving her breathless. Vi raised her arm back, preparing to finish her off, but a whistling sound made her choose to back off, just in time to dodge another shuriken.

Kennen helped Riven up, and the two remaining Noxians stood side by side, surrounded by Jayce, Vi, and Caitlyn.

"It's time to finish this," Jayce growled.


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's note:** Yes, I am still writing, I promise. I apologize for the wait, but this story is almoooost done. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter 13

Jayce knew that he was in no condition to fight. Every muscle in his body screamed for him to stop and lay down, but he couldn't afford to. Not when victory was so close. Glancing to either side of him, he knew that both Caitlyn and Vi, too, could hardly hold themselves up.

"We need to finish this quickly," he muttered.

Kennen perked up at the words. "What's the matter?" he taunted. "Can't keep up?"

"Why don't you ask Riven?" Vi panted in response.

All three of the rebels still bore the effects of Kennen's earlier attack, but they knew that with a two versus three, they were more likely to win. Jayce started it off; he shot a blast through a gate at the two Noxians, who dove to either side to avoid the attack.

Caitlyn began to fire at Kennen, who quickly picked himself up off the ground and zigzagged side to side, avoiding the shots while getting closer to the sniper. He leaped into the air and whirled shuriken after shuriken at Cait, who was forced to abandon her assault and jump back to avoid being hit.

* * *

Vi went straight after Riven, pulling back her arm and punching with all her strength at the Crimson Elite leader. Riven saw the attack and lunged forward, the blow clipping her shoulder. Wincing, Riven began her counterattack; she struck forward with her sword, and on the third blow, Vi was knocked back against a piece of wall, unable to keep her balance. Riven prepared to plunge her sword into Vi, but a sudden movement in her peripheral vision made her dive to the side, just in time to avoid Jayce's hammer smashing into the side of her head.

"Heh," Riven laughed. "You rebels claim to fight for honor and the best intentions of Valoran, yet you can't even have a proper one v one. What hypocrites."

"It's not our fault that Swain's dead," Vi called out, still lying on the arena's floor. Jayce kneeled next to her.

"Can you stand?" he asked. She shook her head.

"I'll be fine," she insisted. "Help Caitlyn. Now."

He turned around, watching her struggle to dodge Kennen's attacks. "But you-" he stuttered.

"NOW," Vi snarled. "I can take this Noxian on if I didn't have my arms."

Riven had regained her breath, standing straight before Jayce and Vi. "Your choice, Jayce," she smirked.

He hesitated for a moment, torn between the two women he cared for. He knew that Caitlyn would never be his... not anymore. But he couldn't throw that away.

With a small, frustrated frown of indecision, Jayce ran from Vi and Riven, heading towards Caitlyn.

"Well then," Riven watched him go. "Time to finish you off." She turned to Vi, whose ankle was burning with pain.

"Bring it on, Riven," Vi challenged, knowing that the only reason she was sitting up was because of the chunk of rock propping her back up. She raised her arms like a boxer, attempting to keep strong. In reality, however, her head was spinning, the noises around her buffeted as if she had earplugs in. Her vision blacked out sporadically, and she could barely lift her arms.

Riven seemed to notice this; however, she wasn't in such great shape either. As she raised her sword, her arms were trembling, sweat pouring down her forehead. She grasped it with both arms, ready to plunge it straight into Vi's chest. As she lunged forward, Vi tilted her body to the right, so the sword impaled her left shoulder.

Vi cried out in pain, but as she glared at Riven through her tears, she pulled back her right arm. Riven gasped and attempted to pull her sword out, but it was stuck fast in the wall, and Vi's blow hit her square in the face, her head hitting the ground with a sickening _thump_.

* * *

Caitlyn couldn't keep dodging much longer, and it didn't take too long before she slipped up. A shuriken buried itself in her left calf, and she fell with a small gasp of surprise, the pain not kicking in right away. She gritted her teeth as she examined the wound; the small weapon was sticking out of her leg, blood running freely from where it had struck.

Kennen slowly walked over to her, his royal blue eyes fixed coldly on her. She was lying on her stomach, having fallen forward when the shuriken hit her. It would be nothing to bombard her with shurikens or fry her body with electricity. So why wouldn't he? As he stared at her, the confusion apparent on her face as he stood there, Jayce came ever closer, until he smack the yordle in the head with his hammer and watched him fall to the ground, unconscious.

"And now we end this once and for all," he growled, raising his hammer above his head.

"Stop!" Caitlyn yelled. He paused, glancing at her with bewilderment. "Don't kill him."

"Have you forgotten what he's done to us? To Piltover, to Valoran? To _Vi?_" Jayce said, incredulous. "What's gotten into you?"

"He could've killed me, but he didn't," Caitlyn lashed back. "I think there's something good in him."

"I don't have time to argue about this," Jayce spat, preparing to bring his hammer down on Kennen's head once and for all.

"If you do this, don't expect to be welcome in Piltover," Caitlyn shouted. "We'll hunt you down for murder."

"Murder?" Jayce yelled back. "He was trying to kill you, Cait! He was trying to kill us all!"

"He will stand trial in Piltover," she declared. "And that's final." There was an uncomfortable pause as Jayce slowly lowered his hammer. "By the way, what happened to Vi?"

"Oh crap, Vi," Jayce gasped. He spun around, seeing her limp form stuck to the shard of rock by Riven's sword. Rushing over, he yanked the blade out, drawing out a moan of pain from the barely-conscious Vi.

He glanced to his right, seeing Riven lying on the ground with one hell of a bruise coating her face. A small smile crept onto his face, and despite himself, he began to laugh. Vi's tired eyes found his face, questioning his hysterics. "Sorry," he choked. "It's just... this whole mess is finally done. We won."

"Yeah..." Vi smiled sadly. "We did." With that, her eyelids dropped, her body slumping down.

Jayce's grin froze, his eyes bulging out as he realized just how much blood was pooled under Vi's body. "Vi?" Jayce stared at the gaping hole in her body, which was still trickling blood out. "VI!"

Suddenly, the entire situation, his battles, his fatigue, his shock, overwhelmed him, and Jayce tumbled to the ground, his hand stretching out towards Vi as darkness overcame him.

* * *

Jayce's eyes blinked open slowly, eyelids fluttering as they were assailed by light. As he adjusted to the brightness, he looked around him, taking in the situation. A window sat to the left, his bed a small ways away from the wall. The room itself was fairly small, and the wall across from the window had a metal door. Jayce took a closer look and realized that the window had metal bars stretched across it.

He looked down, and realized that one wrist was shackled to the side of the bed. _Not again,_ he groaned internally.

Without warning, the metal door slid open, revealing Caitlyn. "Cait!" Jayce said, "What's the meaning of this?" He gestured to his bindings. He paused when he saw the look on her face.

"What happened?" he whispered. Cait stared at him with hollow eyes, and started shaking her head, slowly at first, then picking up pace. Dread ran through Jayce's entire body as his mouth began to drop open.

"She didn't make it," the sheriff started full on sobbing, clutching Jayce's clothes (which, he noticed, only consisted of loose cotton hospital garb) and pressing her face against his chest.

His mouth opened and closed as his unshackled hand numbly patted her back, unsure of what to say. There probably wasn't anything that could comfort her.

"Caitlyn..." he began gently. "She's in a better place now."

"Ashe didn't deserve to die like that!" Caitlyn said reproachfully, raising her head and pushing herself off of Jayce.

"Wait, I thought Vi..." he stammered.

Caitlyn's eyes widened. "No, Vi went through surgery. She'll be all right. Vi's fine, but... she's the one who killed Ashe. She didn't mean to. But she hit a little too hard. The people don't want her here." The sniper's eyes watered, but she bit her lip, furiously refusing herself to cry.

"Did you explain-" Jayce began, before Caitlyn cut him off.

"They don't care that she had a change of heart!" she cried. "All they care about is that for years, she was executing innocent Piltover people. And that she killed a Freljordian princess. One of my best friends..."

Jayce sat up the best he could with his manacled wrist holding him down. He put his left hand on her shoulder, and stared straight into Caitlyn's eyes. "Tell them it was me," he said flatly.

"Wh-what?" Caitlyn stuttered, surprised. "No!"

"They hate me already, Caitlyn. It would be the same for me, right?"

"They'll kill you, Jayce!"

"Caitlyn... there's nothing for me here."


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: **Over 3000 views! I know I've said this a million times but you guys are amazing. Here's the last chapter of Vengeance. I had a great deal of fun writing this.

* * *

Chapter 14

_Three weeks later_

Jayce stared impassively forward, ignoring the jeers and calls of the huge crowd in front of him. His hands were bound in front of him as Caitlyn spoke to the people of Piltover at a podium. Vi was standing next to him, her head bowed, her hair falling over her face, preventing him from seeing her expression.

"...Many brave souls have perished in our long struggle against Noxus," Caitlyn was saying. "But we have overcome disaster. We have triumphed over our enemies. Piltover will never fall!"

A howling roar of approval followed her words, along with clapping and shouts of "Piltover!" and "Remember the fallen!"

"And now," Caitlyn turned to Jayce and Vi. "We have the issue of these two."

"Kill them!" came a call from the crowd. A rush of claps and nods accompanied the statement, along with dirty glares directed at Jayce and Vi.

"Please listen before you make a decision," Caitlyn said solemnly. "As you know, former Commander Jayce helped me out of Demacia while it was under attack from Noxus. Though the city fell, I was able to get out alive. Jayce risked his life to ensure that our resistance would still have a leader. He faced court marshal, but didn't forget our plan; during his would-be execution, he provided an entrance for our army, and fought with us against the Noxians though he could have left. Had it not been for Jayce's courage and resilience, Piltover could now be under Noxian control."

A long silence followed this proclamation as the crowd absorbed the information. Suddenly, someone cried, "So this forgives everything he's done in the past? He led Noxian armies as they slaughtered innocent people and ruined towns and lives. Will he be exonerated because he had a sudden change of heart?" A murmur of assent accompanied the statement, and Caitlyn sighed.

"I understand your qualms, trust me," Caitlyn answered. "But please understand this: Jayce will answer for what he's done. But after being such a pivotal part of our victory, do you really want to have him put to death?"

An uncomfortable ripple passed through the people, but no one else spoke up. "Very well, then. Jayce, former Commander of Noxus, I sentence you to life in prison for the crimes you have committed against Valoran and its people," Caitlyn announced, turning to him. He raised his head slightly to look at her, and then nodded shortly, accepting his fate.

"And as for Vi..." Cait began. She was immediately interrupted with a furious cacophony of catcalls, screaming for vengeance against Vi. "Listen!" she shouted. The rage dissipated into a series of grumbles, with more glares thrown at Vi, who was still standing with her head bowed.

"As you know, Vi left Piltover three years ago due to mysterious circumstances. She became the head warden of Noxus' prison, and signed the death warrants of Noxus' opponents. She also killed Ashe. However, she didn't do this because she wanted to. She did this because of me."

A gasp came after this pronouncement, all eyes fixed on Caitlyn. The sheriff steeled herself and continued, hoping desperately that they would understand. A shift of movement caught Cait's eye, and she glanced to the right. Vi was peering at her with a look of astonishment and fear on her face, wondering where exactly she was going with this.

"The majority of you know that Vi and I were together. However, I was foolish at that time. I wanted to make such an impression on Vi that she wouldn't ever think to leave me," Caitlyn said.

Vi's head snapped up, realizing what she was doing. "Cait, stop!" she hissed. "That's-"

She kept talking relentlessly, not caring what her status would end up looking like. "I set up bribes and hired people to commit crimes so I could catch them. I used underground connections to catch 'C'. I paid off judges to let those criminals go free. And Vi found out. That is why she left."

Before the crowd could respond, Vi was shouting out, "That's not true! I was bribed by Noxus to go over to them, and I agreed. I chose money over Caitlyn. I chose Noxus over Piltover. Caitlyn didn't do anything wrong."

Jayce groaned internally. This was not going to go over very well. The people of Piltover chattered and murmured confusedly among themselves, not sure whom to believe. It was far easier to think that Vi had accepted bribes, but Caitlyn was a much more credible source to them.

Meanwhile, Cait and Vi in question were glaring heavily at each other, each ones' eyes proclaiming their desire to protect the other. "Girls," Jayce muttered. "So many emotions."

They both switched their gazes to Jayce, who looked at each of them in turn. "What?" he said.

"You think I'll allow Vi to die?" Caitlyn shot at him.

"And you think I'll let you ruin your entire reputation?" Vi countered.

"A reputation is nothing next to your life!" Caitlyn exclaimed. "Why can't you see that?"

"They wouldn't have me dead!" Vi replied exasperatedly. "I trust you not to let them! But you need to lead Piltover. There's no one else that has the people's trust like you do."

"Look," Jayce interjected. "I'm sure there's a compromise we can agree upon."

"Vi has to stay alive," Caitlyn said immediately.

"And Caitlyn can't be discredited," Vi added.

"But we can't change your stories," Jayce muttered. Suddenly, he perked up and turned to Cait. "Once I've been sentenced, it can't change, right?"

"Well, unless new evidence that is more scathing than the original is brought to light, no," Caitlyn replied. "Do you have a plan?"

"Yeah..." Jayce smiled. "We tell them the truth."

* * *

The arguing had been going on for nearly half an hour before Caitlyn called on them to settle down.

Jayce stepped forward, much to the confusion of those below. "I'm assuming you all want the truth," he said. "I set up the bribes and criminals. Caitlyn simply caught them as she was supposed to, but I planted evidence that incriminated her. I'm also the one who bribed Vi to come to Noxus. I turned her against both Caitlyn and Piltover."

"Yeah, that sounds like the Jayce we know," someone grumbled. A murmur of assent passed through the gathering, and Caitlyn sighed with relief.

"For Vi's crimes against Piltover, Valoran, and its people, I sentence her to fifteen years in prison," Caitlyn called out. "Any objections?"

The people nodded to themselves with satisfaction. They turned away and began streaming out of the square, ready to return to their normal lives.

Caitlyn turned to face Jayce and Vi. "We'll wait for nightfall," she whispered. "It'll be easier then."

The two nodded apprehensively, sharing a look.

"Caitlyn," Jayce said. "Where are we supposed to go? Valoran has a long time to go before it can recover from Noxus' rule. There won't be anywhere safe for us once we leave Piltover."

"And I don't want to leave you again," Vi sighed, fiddling with her gauntlets.

"It's for the best," Caitlyn put a hand on Vi's shoulder. She glanced up at Jayce. "You two are smart. You'll find a way to survive. I won't let you waste away in prison. I heard that Icathia is relatively barren, with enough resources to survive. Or you could make a home in the Ironspike Mountains."

Jayce shook his head. "This idea is madness," he growled. "Both of us just want to stay with you."

"I'm sorry, Jayce," the sheriff said sadly. "You know I can't let you do that."

He sighed heavily, turning away as Vi looked up into Cait's face. "Will I see you again?" she asked.

"Of course," Caitlyn smiled. "You couldn't keep me away."

* * *

As the moon rose over Piltover, Caitlyn, Jayce, and Vi scurried through the dark alleyways of the city, on the watch for late-night stragglers and the like. The streets were mostly abandoned, and the trio soon reached a sewer hole. "This leads straight outside the city," Caitlyn whispered. "This is goodbye."

"Caitlyn..." Jayce looked full on into her eyes. His expression was one of eternal longing, of a passion that could never be fulfilled. She tilted her head away, a small blush rising on her cheeks. He sighed. "I'm sorry for everything."

Vi grasped Caitlyn tightly in an embrace that was more like a bear hug. Tears streamed out of her eyes, but her face when she let go was grimly determined to survive in hopes of meeting her lover once more. "Don't you ever dare find another girl," Vi hissed.

Caitlyn laughed breathlessly. "I wouldn't dare. Now... go."

She watched as Jayce and Vi clambered down the hole, ready to face the war-ravaged world and face the unknown threats that it still held.

* * *

_Epilogue:_

_As Jayce and Vi ventured out of Piltover as fugitives from the law, the survivors of Noxian occupation began to rebuild their homes and lives. Demacia, sundered, its people massacred, would take a long time to revive. Bandle City, in slightly better condition, was able to restore itself within a few years. _

_The final battle at the Fleshing Arena yielded an unexpected result, however. Katarina and Swain's bodies were never found, with a strange trail of tracks leading from where they were last seen._


End file.
